


Siren Song: Dead Man's Chest

by Cl3v3rG1rl



Series: Siren Song [2]
Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Dead Man's Chest - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Humor, Mermaids, Paranormal, Piracy, Pirates, Sirens, Supernatural Elements, The Black Pearl - Freeform, caribbean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-03
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2018-08-12 19:03:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7945666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cl3v3rG1rl/pseuds/Cl3v3rG1rl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to: Siren Song: Curse of the Black Pearl </p><p>When Roxanne and James's wedding is rudely interrupted by Lord Cutler Beckett, things start to get interesting as Lord Beckett send James and Victoria on an quest for Captain Jack Sparrow's compass. But it seems the Captain is having his own set of problems... </p><p>I do not own and never will own the Pirates of the Caribbean series</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roxanne and James's wedding is interrupted

Roxanne looked at herself in the mirror. Personally she thought she never looked better. Her hair was done up in bune held in place by a carefully placed, delicate but ornate series of flowers. The rest of her hair cascaded gently down her back, though it would mostly be hidden by the long train of her veil. Her dress was a light gold color, with ornate patterns of flowers and swirls on the bust and skirt, it fit surprisingly comfortably.

But, Roxanne still had mixed feelings about the wedding itself. She wasn't getting cold feet if that's what you think. No, she made a promise, and she would keep to it. But she was still feeling the way she did seven months ago. Conflicted and confused...

Turning her head to look out the window she saw the wedding area nearly finished, but in the distance, she saw storm clouds, and she grimaced. Oh how she loved the unpredictability of the weather in the tropics.

"Roxanne?" Said woman jumped a little, and turned to the door where her pseudo Uncle stood.

"Yes?" She forced a smile.

"It's time." Roxanne nodded and stood, grabbing her bouquet from the stand. She carefully picked her way down the steps, and stood before the wooden doors that would lead her to her future.

"You'll do great." Uncle Weatherby smiled as the servants made a few last minute adjustments on her, one handing her a bouquet of white orchids. She took a deep breath, and smiled at him.

"I know."

"You're sure about this?" He asked, for what seemed like the millionth time. Roxanne straightened herself, and put on a smile.

"Absolutely."

And the doors were pushed open, and they started walking towards the alter. The space had been decorated wonderfully, with beautiful flowers from the island contrasting beautifully with the white. On the right side of the seats, sat James's family.

They'd sailed out from England for the ceremony, which Roxanne thought was very thoughtful. On the left, were Roxanne's chosen "family", though she'd really just allowed everyone else to plan the wedding, since it had given her headache with all the things she'd been forced to plan.

So instead, she'd just dumped it on Elizabeth and Uncle Weatherby, favoring instead to run around with Victoria in her last months of "freedom".

When they made it up to the altar, Roxanne followed as they had practiced, and stood opposite James, who was practically beaming. The old Minister began his long droning speech, something she'd had to suffer before when they'd gone to weddings as children.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here on this beautiful day to witness the union of James Norrington and Roxanne Swann in holy matrimony. This is a day of great celebration and reverence, on which we come together before before God to recognize and commemorate the sacred love and dedication shared between these two people. It is wonderful to have family and friends here to join us today." Roxanne didn't even know a majority of these people...

"The bride and groom would like to thank their guests for being here, and would like you to know that each of you were invited here on this day because you have played an integral part in their intertwining lives."

"As the Bible reminds us in Corinthians, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails."

"In the time that James Norrington and Roxanne Swann have spent together, they've built the sturdy foundation for a lifelong relationship. After a great deal of thoughtful consideration, they have decided to bind themselves to one another for the rest of their lives."

"May you all remember and cherish this sacred ceremony, for on this day, with love, we will forever bind James Norrington and Roxanne Swann together."

"Who gives this bride today?" Uncle Weatherby took a small step forward, still smiling.

"I do." The Minister nodded before continuing.

"If there is anyone in attendance who has cause to believe that this couple should not be joined in marriage, you may speak now or forever hold your peace..."

Then, out of absolutely nowhere, the doors were kicked open by a gang of marines barging in, weapons drawn.

Oh hell no...

"What in the world..?" James put his hand on his sword. A man stepped forward, his white curls powdered perfectly, and he radiated an aura that made Roxanne's skin scrawl.

"Governor Weatherby Swann, it's been too long. Apologies for arriving without an invitation." Uncle Weatherby stood as he spoke, stepping towards the man.

"Cutler Beckett?"

"It's Lord now. Actually." Lord Beckett smirked, and Roxanne rolled her eyes.

"Lord or not, you have no reason and no authority to interrupt this wedding!" Uncle Weatherby snapped. Roxanne looked to Victoria and Elizabeth, who looking just as confused.

"In fact, I do. Mr. Mercer?" Lord Beckett continued, and man who looked nothing like how a clerk would expect to look, brought out a wooden box. Lord Beckett took out a paper, and read it off.

"The warrant for the arrest of one Victoria Turner." What... Roxanne snapped her head back to Victoria, frowning. Victoria had always been a trouble maker, yes, but nothing to warrant an arrest!

"This warrant is for Elizabeth Swann!" Uncle Weatherby cried out in surprise, and Roxanne nearly dropped her bouquet. What was going on?

"Oh, is it? That's annoying, my mistake..." Lord Beckett sighed. "Arrest her then." And on that order, several marines headed down the row, much to the distaste of the guests.

"On what charges?!" Elizabeth demanded, struggling in their grasp. Victoria stood up instantly, hurrying after them.

"What in gods name is going on here?!" Roxanne demanded, but she went ignored, much to her anger.

"Aha, here's the one for Victoria Turner!" Lord Beckett handed the other paper to Uncle Weatherby, much to his disbelief. "And I have another one for a Mr. James Norrington, and one Roxanne Swann?" Now Roxanne dropped her bouquet out of surprise.

"What are the charges?" Elizabeth demanded again, and Lord Beckett raised an eyebrow.

"I don't believe that was the answer to the question I asked. "

"Lord Beckett, in the category of questions not answered– " James started, but Roxanne cut him off.

"We are under the jurisdiction of the King's governor of Port Royal and you will tell us what we are charged with!" She demanded, stepping forward, and feeling furious.

"The charge..." Uncle Weatherby started. "Is conspiring to set free a man convicted of crimes against the Crown and Empire and condemned to death for which the..." He trailed off, dropping the papers.

"For which the punishment, regrettably, is also death." Lord Beckett finished, stepping towards Roxanne. "Perhaps you remember a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow?" Roxanne blinked in surprise, and opened her mouth to speak.

"Captain!" Victoria huffed, and Beckett looked over his shoulder at her, amused, while James took the opportunity to stand closer next to Roxanne, gently grabbing her hand.

" _Captain_ Jack Sparrow. Yes, I thought you might." Lord Beckett smirked.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lock must have a key, but which do you go after first? they key, or whatever's locked?

_ "Captain!" Victoria huffed, and Beckett looked over his shoulder at her, amused, while James took the opportunity to stand closer next to Roxanne, gently grabbing her hand. _

_ "Captain Jack Sparrow. Yes, I thought you might." Lord Beckett smirked. _

~- Night, Main Deck, The Black Pearl -~

Joshamee Gibbs walked the deck of the Black Pearl, which waited patiently for it's captain to return...

The Black Pearl was a tall galleon, with black haunting sails that loomed high above the deck below. At the bow rests an ornately carved figurehead of a beautiful woman, arm held high, and a small bird taking wing from her outstretched hand. A marvel of her time, with no ship that could outrun her.

" _ Fifteen men on a dead man's chest.   
_ _ Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum. Drink   
_ _ and the devil had done for the rest.   
_ __ Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! " 

Gibbs sang, taking a swig from his flask, nearly dropping said object as a bell tolled in the distance. Looking up at the foggy night sky, he grimaced as a flock of crows flew past.

\-- Night, Turkish Prison --

Waves crashed against the pinnacle-like island that stood off the coast, only connected to the mainland by a thin bridge. Prisoners and their corpses and bones hung from the cages, a daunting image for the ones who were marched across the bridge...

But where is the man who could captain such a vessel as the Black Pearl? 

Well, he's stuck in a casket with a rather smelly corpse, hoping to whatever deity that may rule the universe that he's not upside down. Thankfully, he was given an answer when a crow landed on the top of his casket. With a breath, the esteemed captain aims his pistol, and fires from the inside of the casket, blowing a hole in it large enough for his hand to stick through.

Moving his hand and gun about, the Captain has determined there are no other enemies floating about, before he fully breaks open the top of the casket. Here my good friends, we have the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow...

Searching around his improvised vessel for something to steer it with, he fishes out his hat and dusted it off before adjusting it on his head. 

"Sorry, mate." Jack said to his traveling companion. Reaching into the casket once more, he broke of the skeleton's leg.  "Mind if we make a little side trip? I didn't think so..." Jack mused, and he began using the leg as an oar to row towards the Black Pearl, which was silhouetted by the full moon.

\-- Night, Main Deck, The Black Pearl --

Jack eased himself onto the Black Pearl, ignoring Gibbs hand in favor of placing the skeleton's leg in it, much to the man's distaste. 

"Not _quite_  according to plan?" Gibbs said as Cotton draped Jack's coat onto him.

"Complications arose, ensued, and were overcome." Jack shrugged dismissively, and Gibbs raised a hopeful eyebrow.

"You got what you went in for, then?" Gibbs reasoned, and Jack nodded.

"Mm-hmm!"

"Captain..." Gibbs started warily. "I think the crew, meaning me as well, were expecting something a bit more... _Shiny_." He explained. "What with the Isla de Muerta going all pear shaped, reclaimed by the sea, and the treasure with it..."

"And the Royal Navy chasing us all around the Atlantic." Leech added.

"And the hurricane!" Marty grumbled out, these points were met with loud "Aye"s from the crew

"All in all, it's seems some time since we did a speck of honest pirating." Gibbs said finally, and Jack blinked.

"Shiny?"

"Aye, shiny." Gibbs nodded, and the rest of the crew followed in suit.

"Is that how you're all feeling, then?" Jack said in mock hurt. "Perhaps dear old Jack is not serving your best interests as captain?"

"Awk! Walk the plank!" Cotton's parrot squawked, and Jack whirled on the bird, aiming his pistol.

"What did the bird say?" Jack growled.

"Do not blame the bird. Show us what is on that piece of cloth there." Leech interrupted, and Jack the Monkey snarled, seizing the cloth and he scampered off with it, much to human Jack's anger.

"Ohhh! One day I shall chain you to a pile of rocks and sink them to the bottom of the ocean!" Jack seethed, and aimed at the monkey, attempting to shoot the monkey with his pistol. When he missed, Jack grabbed another pistol from one of the crewman, and blasted Jack the Monkey while he was on deck.

With a few screeches, Jack the Monkey dropped the cloth, but seemed mostly unharmed as it scurried into the rigging.

"Know that don't do no good." Gibbs commented, almost seeming amused.

"It does me loads of good I find, a wonderful stress reliever." Jack sighed, watching the monkey in annoyance.

"It's a key!" Marty cried out, drawing their attention to him. Jack snatched the cloth from him, and held it up for the crew.

"No! Much more better. It is a _drawing_  of a key." He grinned. "And gentlemen, what do keys do?"

"Keys... unlock... _things_?" Leech offered

"And whatever this key unlocks, _inside_  there's something valuable..." Gibbs reasoned excitedly. "So, we're setting out to find whatever this key unlocks!"

"No!" Jack rolled his eyes, taking a step towards Gibbs. "If we don't have the key, we can't open whatever it is we don't have that it unlocks. So what purpose would be served in finding whatever need be unlocked, which we don't have, without first having found the key what unlocks it?" He explained, and the crew stared at him.

"So... We're going after this key!" Gibbs concluded, and Jack raised an eyebrow.

"You're not making any sense at all." He looked to the rest of the crew. "Any more questions?" Marty raised a hand, and Jack nodded at him.

"So... Do we have a heading?" He asked.

"Hah! A heading." Jack opened his compass. "Set sail in a..." His brow furrowed as the arrow changed courses a number of times. "Mmm... A general..." He waved his hand around for a moment before he pointed to the left of himself. "In a  _that_  way - direction."

"Cap'n?" But Jack ignored him.

"Come on, snap to and make sail, you know how this works." He ordered as the crew parted. "Come on, oy, oy, hey!" Leaning against the rail, Marty looked a Gibbs, choosing his next words carefully.

"Have you noticed lately..." He hesitated. "The captain seems to be actin' a bit strange... -er." Gibbs frowned, but didn't disagree.

"Settin' sail without knowing his own headin'? Somethin's got Jack vexed. Mark my words, what bodes ill for Jack Sparrow bodes ill for us all." Gibbs said ominously, looking into the oncoming thunderstorm.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victoria and James have more of a goal than a pirate with a compass that points to his heart's desire.

_ "Have you noticed lately..." He hesitated. "The captain seems to be actin' a bit strange... -er." Gibbs frowned, but didn't disagree. _

_ "Settin' sail without knowing his own headin'? Somethin's got Jack vexed. Mark my words, what bodes ill for Jack Sparrow bodes ill for us all." Gibbs said ominously, looking into the oncoming thunderstorm. _

~- Day, Jail Cell, Fort Charles, Port Royale -~

Victoria watched James pace through the cell, and let out a tired sigh.

"Please tell me at least one of you have come up with something useful." The redhead said, and Roxanne hummed.

"I have several thoughts, none would work in the end though." Roxanne sighed, smoothing out her now ruined wedding dress, and Elizabeth leaned forward.

"Oh, so you have an idea?" Elizabeth asked, and Roxanne sighed

"Yes, but..." Her eyes shifted to James. "You know how I don't like singing." She sighed, and Victoria groaned, leaning back against the stone wall of the cell.

"Fantastic." She grumbled. The sound of the door being opened drew their attention and three guards entered the room, and started unlocking the cell, causing Victoria to rise, anger clear as day on her face.

"I demand to see Lord Cutler Beckett and-"

"Oh shush, you'll be seeing him in a moment." One guard said, and pulled James and Victoria out of the cell, and manacles were placed on their wrists, much to Victoria's anger.

"Victoria! Stop struggling!" James chastised her, and Victoria glared at him as she was hauled out of the room by a guard. The men led them down the hall, and into the headquarters of Fort Charles.

A painter was standing on a tall ladder and was working on a large mural of a world map. One of the guards pushed them forward.

"Lord Beckett. The prisoner as ordered, Sir." He said.

"Those won't be necessary." Lord Cutler Beckett said, pouring some liquor without looking up at either of them. The guard removes the manacles, and leaves the room. "The East India Trading Company has need of your services." He began. "We wish for you to act as our agent in a business transaction with our mutual friend: Captain Sparrow."

"More acquaintance than friend." James grimaced. 

"How do you know him?" Victoria asked, watching Lord Beckett suspiciously.

"We've had dealings in the past." Lord Beckett smirked. "And we've each left our mark... On the other."

"What mark did he leave on you?" Victoria pressed, but he ignored her.

"By your efforts Jack Sparrow was set free." Lord Beckett said. "I would like you to go to him, and recover a certain property in his possession."

"Recover. At the point of a sword?" Victoria snorted. "As if he would ever agree to such a thing." Lord Beckett rolled his eyes.

"No, I wish for you to bargain with him." He said, getting up and going over to a wooden box on a table. When he opened it, he pulled out several papers. "Letters of Marque. You will offer what amounts to a full pardon. Jack will be free, a privateer in the employ of England."

"Somehow I doubt Jack will consider employment the same as being free." James said, crossing his arms.

"Freedom." Lord Beckett snorted. "Jack Sparrow is a dying breed. The world is shrinking, the blank pages of the map filled in. Jack must find his place in the new world or perish. Not unlike you, Mr Norrington. You and your... _Fiancee_  face the hangman's noose. "

"So you get both Jack _and_  the Black Pearl." Victoria seethed, glaring at Lord Beckett.

"The Black Pearl?" Lord Beckett said, seeming confused.

"The property you want that he possesses." Victoria raised an eyebrow.

"A ship? Hardly." The item in question's considerably smaller and _far_  more valuable. Something Sparrow keeps on his person at all times. A compass." James shifted awkwardly, and Lord Beckett smirked. "Ah, you know it. Bring back that Compass, or there's no deal."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack gets an ominous visit

_ "The property you want that he possesses." Victoria raised an eyebrow. _

_ "A ship? Hardly." The item in question's considerably smaller and far more valuable. Something Sparrow keeps on his person at all times. A compass." James shifted awkwardly, and Lord Beckett smirked. "Ah, you know it. Bring back that Compass, or there's no deal." _

~- Night, Captain’s Cabin, The Black Pearl -~

Jack stared down at the map before him, using his calipers on said map trying to chart a course using his left hand, with the right, he tapped his compass trying to get it to show a heading, but it was refusing to cooperate. Picking up a bottle of rum, he peered into it before turning it upside down, letting a few drops spill out.

"Why is the rum always gone?" He sighed, and rose to his feet. He staggered over to a pick up his hat off the top of a globe. "Oh...  _ That's _ why." Putting on his hat, he grabbed his coat and a lantern, and headed to the ship's stores. Passing through the Crew quarters silently, as to not wake his sleeping and snoring crew. 

"As you were, gents." Jack mused, going down the steps and into the hold where an animal bleats out in the darkness. Nothing unusual. 

Unlocking the door, Jack steps inside the dark room, and frowns. Going through the store room, he passes a beam of wood, and freezes. He turned to stare at a group of filter feeding creatures festooned on a beam of wood, much to his distaste. Passing the eerie looking creatures, he heads to a rack of bottles, with the bottles of rum stored sideways like in a wine rack.

"Ah!" Jack grinned, and pulled a sideways bottle from the rack. But, unfortunately, the bottle is filled with sand, much to his confusion.

"Time’s run out, Jack..." A low voice said, startling Jack and causing him to drop the bottle in surprise. He walked over to the dark corner where the voice had come from, using his lantern to light the way.

"Bootstrap..." He said quietly. "Bill Turner..." The man looked up, crabs scuttling across his face, looking as pale as a corpse with barnacles on the side of his face. He looked worn and weather beaten, with his clothes looking like something horrendous had happened to them.

"You look good, Jack." Bootstrap said with an almost smile and seawater spilling from his mouth. 

"Is this a dream?" Jack asked, taking in the sight of his long dead crew member. 

"No." Bootstrap answered, and Jack grimaced, hanging up his lantern.

"I thought not. If it were, there'd be rum..." Bootstrap stretched out his arm with a creak, presenting the bottle of rum in his hand. Jack reached for it, prying the bottle from Bootstrap's hand with a crackling sound. 

"You got the Pearl back, I see." Bootstrap remarked while looking around briefly.

"I had some help retrieving the Pearl, by the way." Jack mused, blowing the dust of from the top of the bottle. "Your daughter." He said, taking a drink from the bottle.

"Victoria? Ended up pirate after all..." Bootstrap sighed remorsefully.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your carbuncle?" Jack asked, and Bootstrap stared at him for a moment before replying.

"He sent me." Jack narrowed his eyes, and Bootstrap raised an eyebrow. "Davy Jones."

"Ah." A little smile grew on his face. "So it's you, then..." Jack mused, sitting back on a barrel. "He shanghaied you into service, eh?"

"I chose it." That drew Jack's attention. "I’m sorry for the part I played in the mutiny against you, Jack." Bootstrap apologized as a small hermit crab scuttled by Bootstrap, on top of the barrel next to where Bootstrap sat. He smacked his hand down on the creature, and picked it up. 

"I stood up for ya." Bootstrap remarked, looking at the crab momentarily. "Everything went wrong after that." He popped it into his mouth, crunching on it. Jack moved his mouth, jaw, and tongue around in revulsion while he watched. "They strapped me to a cannon, I ended up on the bottom of the ocean, the weight of the water crushing down on me." Bootstrap took a breath before continuing while Jack knocked another gulp of rum back. 

"Unable to move, unable to die, Jack, and I thought that even the tiniest hope of escaping this fate, I would take it. I would trade anything for it." Jack handed the bottle back to Bootstrap, and stood up.

"It's funny what a man will do to forestall his final judgment..." Jack said as he started to walk off, but Bootstrap stood up at the same time and intercepted Jack, blocking him from leaving.

"You made a deal with him, too, Jack." Bootstrap pointed out. "He raised the Pearl from the depths for you, thirteen years you’ve been Captain. 

"Technically, I– "

"Jack." Bootstrap interrupted. You won’t be able to talk yourself out of this. The terms that would apply to me, apply to you, as well. One soul, bound to Crew a hundred years upon his ship."

"Yes, but the Flying Dutchman already  _ has _ a captain, so there's re-"

"Then it’s the Locker for you!" Bootstrap snapped. "Though his terrible leviathan will find you, Jack, and it'll drag the Pearl back to the depths, and you along with it." He warned.

"Any idea when Jones might release said terrible beastie?" Jack asked, smiling weakly.

"I already told you, Jack. Your time is up." Bootstrap took Jack's hand, placing something in it. "It comes now. Drawn with ravenous hunger for the man what bears the black spot." Bootstrap spoke as Jack opened the palm of his left hand and a black spot spreads out across it. Jack looked up in horror, but Bootstrap had already vanished.

Jack made a one-eighty, and bolted.

"On deck all hands! Make fast the bunt gasket!" Jack shouted, running up from the hold. "On deck! Scurry! Scurry on! Move it! Move it!!" He ordered to his crew, who scrambled to get dressed and move to their stations. "I WANT MOVEMENT!" He shouted, before making the rest of the way up to the main deck while chaos goes on below. He grabbed a piece of cloth from one of the crew member. 

"All on deck! Run! And keep running! Run as if the devil himself and itself is upon us!" He ordered, hiding behind one of the masts and wrapped up his marked hand with the strip of cloth.

"Do we have a heading?" Gibbs asked, startling Jack.

"Ah! Run! Land." He ordered, and ducked being the base of the mast. Gibbs frowned, moving to the side where Jack rose.

"Eh!" Jack squeaked out upon seeing Gibbs again.

"Which port?" He asked.

"Didn't say port. I said land. Any land!" Jack responded, and Jack the skeleton monkey swung down, grabbing Jack's hat. "Gah!" Jack shrieked slightly, and Jack the Monkey hissed at Jack the Human, who hissed back at the monkey in imitation. In response to being hissed back at, Jack the Monkey threw Jack the Human's hat overboard.

"Jack's hat! Bring 'er about!" Gibbs ordered as he rushed to the railing.

"No no! Leave it!" Everyone turned to stare at their captain funnily. "Run." He said, and hurried off, Gibbs rolled his eyes and turned back to the crew.

"Back to your stations! The lot o' ya!" Gibbs ordered, and the crew began to move again while Gibbs walked over to where Jack stood stiffly in the shadows under some steps, and between two lighted windows.

"Jack?" Gibbs stared at him, confused.

"Shhh!"

"For the love of mother and child, Jack, what's coming after us?" Gibbs asked, and Jack turned his eyes to him.

"Nothing." He said after a pause.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cannibal Island here we come!

_"For the love of mother and child, Jack, what's coming after us?" Gibbs asked, and Jack turned his eyes to him._

_"Nothing." He said after a pause._

~- Day, Jail Cell, Fort Charles, Port Royale -~

James Norrington almost sprinted down the steps, quickly followed by Victoria Turner, and Governor Swann. The guard on watch aims to block them, but James and Victoria are more concerned about their Lady-loves to deal with him.

"You’re not… you can’t be here." The guard tried, but Governor Swann glared at him.

"I think you’ll find they can." He said,  and the guard stared at him.

"Mr. Swann..."

" _Governor_ Swann, still. Do you think I wear this wig to keep my head warm?" The man mentioned snapped, and the guard nodded, letting him through.

"Jack’s compass? What does Beckett want with that?" Elizabeth asked, and Victoria shook her head.

"Doesn’t matter. I’m to find Jack and convince him to return to Port Royal and in exchange the charges against us will be dropped."

"No, we must find our own avenue to secure your freedom." Governor Swann interrupted,

"Is that a lack of faith in Jack… or in me?" Victoria asked, silencing the room.

"You would risk your life to save Sparrow’s does not mean that he would do the same for anyone else..." Governor Swann said finally, and turned around. "Now, where’s that dog with the keys?" He muttered, and started whistling for it.

"I have faith in you. Both of you." Elizabeth smiled, and Roxanne rolled her eyes.

"Where do you think you'll find him?" Roxanne asked, and there was silence.

"Tortuga." James decided. "We’ll start there and won’t stop searching ‘till we find him." He took Roxanne's hand in his. "And then I intend to return here to marry you." He kissed her hand, and Roxanne smiled at him.

"Promise?" She said, and he beamed at her.

"I swear it." Roxanne's smile grew wider.

"You shouldn't swear." She teased, and Victoria rolled her eyes, and looked at Elizabeth.

"If it weren’t for these bars, I’d have you already." She smiled, gently caressing Victoria's face. "I’ll wait for you."

"Keep a weather eye on the horizon." Victoria responded, a sad smile on her face.

"I do believe it is time for both of you to begin your search?" Governor Swann said, and Victoria tore herself away from Elizabeth, pulling James with her.

\-- Day, Beach, Tortuga --

Weathered Sailor: " _Captain_ Jack Sparrow? Owes me four doubloons." He muddled around with his line. "Heard he was dead."

Half-Blind Fisherman: "Singapore. That's what I heard. Drunk with a smile on his face. Sure as the tide, Jack Sparrow... will turn up in Singapore.

After a week of searching, James had long since ditched his formal wear on request of Victoria, who'd decided wearing men's clothes would be easier than wearing a dress, saying "It'll give us nothing but lies and maybe half truth's... Yes, it's unprofessional, but since when were we trying to be professional?" They'd finally run into a pair of familiar faces in the form of the blonde and the red head Victoria had met last time she was at Tortuga.

"Jack Sparrow!" Giselle mused, looking at Scarlett.

"I haven't seen 'im in a month." The redhead huffed in annoyance.

"When you find him, will you give him a message?" Giselle asked, moving towards James, she pulled her hand back, and slapped him dead across the face.

Finally, they'd had some good news with a Shrimper they found sitting on a dock, mending his nets.

"Cannot say about Jack Sparrow..." He said. "But dere's a island, just south of de straits, where I trade spice for... mmm... delicious long pork. Cannot say about Jack. But you find a ship dere. A ship wit' black sails."

\-- Day, Water, Cannibal Island --

"My brother will take you ashore." The Shrimper said while Victoria looked out at the beach through a spyglass, and James nodded in thanks as he and Victoria climbed into the longboat with the Shrimper's brother. This, however, went south a little ways before they could reach the island, when the Shrimper's brother stopped rowing.

"What's wrong? The beach is right there." Victoria asked, confused.

"Ne bougeais pas, c'est trop dangereux." James groaned inwardly, and looked at Victoria.

"What? I don't speak French." She said, crossing her arms.

"Je ne peux, c'est trop dangereux, j'avais le dit. Bon voyage, mademoiselle et monsieur." He said, and Victoria seemed to get the hint. Standing up, she looked at James.

"He won't row us the rest of the way, so it's best that we get off now."

"What?" He made a face, and Victoria rolled her eyes.

"Shut up and jump." She said, and dove into the water. James grimaced, but followed her as Victoria started swimming towards the shore. Upon making it ashore, Victoria started walking alongside the Black Pearl, which was tied with ropes to stakes in the sand.

"Jack! Jack Sparrow!" James called out as soon as he made it to shore.

"Marty! Cotton! Anybody?" Victoria tried, but neither of them got a response. "Maybe they're in the jungle?" Victoria suggested, and James sighed.

"Most likely." He said, and started into the palm jungle which bordered the beach. Cotton's parrot fluttered up to them, perching itself on a palm stump, squawking to get their attention.

"Ah! A familiar face!" Victoria smiled, and James raised an eyebrow at her.

"Rawk! Don't eat me!" The parrot squawked.

"I'm not gonna eat you." Victoria assured the parrot, and James snorted, moving on deeper into the jungle. Victoria followed, feeling unnerved by the parrots squawking.

"Don't eat me! No! Don't eat me! Akkk!"

"Victoria, I found something!" James called, and Victoria hurried over to him. Looking at what he found, Victoria frowned, recognising the object as Gibbs' husk canteen hanging from a plant.

"Gibbs." Victoria said, grimacing. James frowned, as she started following the string attached to the canteen over toward a large tree. James followed her of course, just a bit more cautiously.

A loud shriek startled both of them, and Victoria almost let out a scream as a camouflaged man jumped out from the tree at her, only her biggest problem now was the fact that she'd been pulled back by a snare, knocking over James in the process, and left to dangle upside-down from a rope.

Cannibals charged out of the bushes from all directions, and Victoria drew her sword, swinging at them wildly while James stared up at her from the forest floor, several spears pointed at his head, neck, and chest.

"Come on! Let’s go!" She shouted, swinging at them with her sword. "Come on, who wants it?! I can do this all day!" James groaned as the cannibals looked at each other. Then, much to James's annoyance, one shoots a poisoned dart at the wildly swinging Victoria, and when it hits her neck, she fell unconscious, sword dropping from her hand. and almost hitting James on the head.

\-- Day, Cannibal Island -- 

Victoria cracked her eyes open as a drumming sound pounded in her ears. Victoria cracked her eyes open as a drumming sound pounded in her ears.

"Ah, good, you're finally awake." Victoria turned her head groggily to the side, and saw James hanging upside down from a bamboo pole.

"What happened?" She asked, and he frowned.

"Well, once you were knocked out, they tied both of us to these pole things, and now I think they're carrying us to their village." James explained. "Where we'll no doubt be eaten."

"Oh..."

"All you have to say is oh?" James snapped, glaring at her.

"Yes! All I can say is oh because really, I have no idea how we'll be getting out of this one." she said, letting her head, which suddenly felt lighter, hang back. "James... Why does it feel like my hair is much shorter than it was?" She asked.

"It could be because one of is wearing it as a souvenir." He responded.

"James..."

"Yes Victoria?"

"If we make it out of this, remind me to let Roxanne eat Jack's face off." Victoria growled, and they hung in silence for the rest of the trip up the skull lined path and into the village.

One of the cannibals stepped out of Victoria's line of sight, and began talking to what she assumed was the chief. The start moving again after a pause, and the drumming stops when they're brought before the chief, who opens his eyes, revealing them to be painted on.

"Jack? Jack Sparrow." James breathed out a sigh of relief.

"I can honestly say I’m glad to see you." Victoria laughed slightly, but Jack said nothing as he rose from his throne made of bones and walked over to them.

"Jack?" James tried, but they still got no response from him as he poked James's shoulder.

"Jack! It's me! Victoria Turner!" Victoria shouted at him.

"Wa-say kohn." Jack said to one of the cannibals in the crowd surrounding them.

"Een dah-lah. Eeseepi."

"Eeseepi." The rest of the crowd murmured.

"Tell 'em to let us down." Victoria said, this time in a more demanding tone.

"Kay-lay lam. Lam piki-piki. Lam eensy weensy. Lam say-say... eunuchy. Snip-snip." Jack ordered to the cannibals.

"Ahhh... eunuchy!" They nodded, and Jack began to walk away, seemingly disinterested. But, then Victoria spotted their desired prize.

"Jack! The Compass!" Jack continued walking. "That's all I need, Elizabeth is in danger. We were arrested for trying to help _you_. Her and Roxanne face the gallows!" Victoria shouted at him. Much to her and James's relief, he stopped and turned around, casually walking back to them.

"Say-say lam  shup shup sha smalay-lama shoo-koo. Savvy? Maliki liki." Jack ordered, and waved them away.

"Maliki liki! Maliki liki! !" The crowd cheered, and they began chanting. "Boom-shoo-boom, boom-shoo-boom, boom-shoo-boom..."

"Save me!" Jack whispered to Victoria before they're both carried off.

"Jack, what did you tell them? No! What about Elizabeth? _Jaaack_!" Victoria shouted as the cannibals carried them from the village.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elizabeth's getting better at bargaining, which I suppose is a good thing.

_"Save me!" Jack whispered to Victoria before they're both carried off._

_"Jack, what did you tell them? No! What about Elizabeth? Jaaack!" Victoria shouted as the cannibals carried them from the village._

~- Night, Jail Cell, Fort Charles, Port Royale -~

Roxanne and Elizabeth sat alone in their cell, the seedy prisoners next to them sitting in the far corner of their cell after Roxanne nearly bit the hand off of one of them. Roxanne was busy examining her nails while Elizabeth sat in the corner, looking very upset. Roxanne heard the footsteps of a guard, and looked up as he unlocked the cell. Uncle Weatherby came into view, and gestured for them to come out of the cell.

"Come quickly." He instructed, and Roxanne hurried from the cell, quickly followed by Roxanne.

"You’ve got to tell us what’s happening." Elizabeth demanded as they hurried through the jail.

"I may still have some standing in the keep." Uncle Weatherby explained, and Roxanne frowned. I’ve arranged passage to England. The Captain is a friend of mine."

"No! Victoria and James have gone to find Jack! I promised I would wait for her!" Elizabeth stopped, glaring him in outrage, and Roxanne was growling now. How dare he.

"We cannot count on either of them. Come!" He said, and started draggin her by the arm.

"She’s a better woman than you give her credit for." Elizabeth grumbled, and Roxanne nodded. Where was this sudden lack of loyalty coming from?

"Of course, but this is no time for innocence." Uncle Weatherby said as they made it to the entrance.. "Beckett has offered one pardon only. _One!_ And that is promised to Jack Sparrow. Even if they succeed… You’re not asking me to endure the sight of my daughter walking to the gallows. Do not." He said, looking very serious now. "Perhaps, I can ensure a fair trial for them, if they both return." Roxanne snorted as they approached the black carriage that awaited them.

"A fair trial for Victoria and James ends in a hanging." She growled, and Uncle Weatherby looked distraught now.

"Then there is nothing left for you here." He  said, opening the carriage doors for them to step inside. Elizabeth glares at him as he does so. But Roxanne stops to stare at him.

"I can forgive a lot of things you've done." She said. "But I can't forgive this." She stepped inside, and waited for him to close the door, and the rode to the docks in silence.

"Wait inside." Uncle Weatherby called to them from outside the carriage, and Roxanne watched him carefully as he made his way towards the ship that would take them to England. 'Captain?" She heard him call, but something felt off.

"I don't like this..." Roxanne said softly to Elizabeth, who glared at her, hot tears in her eyes.

"We're about to be deported back to England and all you have to say is 'I don't like this'?!" Elizabeth snapped, and Roxanne gave her a look, before looking back just in time to see the captain drop dead.

"Elizabeth, we've got to run." Roxanne said, and Elizabeth nodded in quiet agreement. She opened the carriage door as quietly as possible, and stepped out. The pair bolted from the scene and into town, hiding away as fast as possible.

"What about my father?" Elizabeth panted out, and Roxanne grimaced and held onto her skirt tighter.

"He'll be fine..."

"How can you be sure?"

"I'm not, but, he did just try to have us leave Victoria to fend for herself in an attempt to save us, so i'm not feeling that bothered  by whatever happens to him."

"So we don't really have a choice but to leave him behind do we?" Elizabeth asked, and Roxanne shook her head, stopping as they rounded a corner.

"No, no we don't." Roxanne said, leaning against a wall. "But, what we can do now is figure out how to find Victoria, and we'll go from there."

"But, we'll still be fugitives.." Elizabeth said, frowning. "Unless..."

"Unless what?" Roxanne said, crossing her arms. "It's not as if we can pardon them."

"We can't." Elizabeth said, a plan forming in her brain. "But I can think of someone who can." Roxanne made a face.

"Who?"

\-- Night, English Trading Company HQ, Port Royal --

Lord Cutler Beckett strode into the study from the balcony, lantern in hand. Noticing the chest carrying the pardon papers had obviously been disturbed, he hurried over, and opened it, frowning when he saw that the pardon letter was gone. He let out a sigh, and closed the lid.

"No doubt you've discovered that loyalty is no longer the currency of the realm, as your father believes." He said without turning, and Elizabeth, followed by Roxanne, stepped into the dark room from an interior door with her hands behind her.

"Then what is?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'm afraid that _currency_ is the currency of the realm." Lord Beckett mused, watching her carefully.

"I expect then that we can come to some sort of understanding. I'm here to negotiate." Roxanne watched the exchange warily, hoping this time wouldn't be like the last time Roxanne let Elizabeth negotiate...

"I'm listening." Lord Beckett smirked, and Elizabeth pulled out a pistol, pointing it at Lord Beckett's head. "I'm listening _intently_."

"These Letters of Marque, they are signed by the King?" Elizabeth said, holding up the letters.

"Yes, and they're not valid until they bear my signature and my seal." He explained, and Roxanne took them from her, placing them on the table in front him.

"Or else we would not still be here. You sent Victoria and James to get you the Compass owned by Jack Sparrow. It will do you no good." Elizabeth said.

"Do explain."

"I have been to Isla de Muerta, I have seen the treasure myself. There is something you need to know."

"Ah, I see..." Lord Beckett stood straighter, looking even more smug than before. " _You_ think the Compass leads only to the Isla de Muerta, and so you hope to _save_ me from an evil fate." Roxanne rolled her eyes, she could care less if he suffered any kind of evil doing.

"But you mustn't worry. I care not for cursed Aztec gold. My desires are not so provincial. There's more than one chest of value in these waters. So perhaps you may wish to enhance your offer." He snorted, and Roxanne gave him a sly smile, leaning forward against the table.

"I'm sure we can enhance your offer." She purred, and he swallowed thickly, not looking away from his eyes. "But, you'll have to sign these for us." She said, pushing the papers towards him.

"I don't think-" Elizabeth cocked the pistol.

"Thank you." Roxanne said, snatching the papers from the desk. "Consider this repentance for ruining my wedding."

"So I did..." He said, finally looking away from her finally to sign the letters.. "A marriage interrupted." He melted the end of a stick of wax, letting it drip onto the paper. "Or fate intervenes." He stamped the wax with his signet ring. "You're both making such great efforts to ensure Jack Sparrow's freedom...." He said, and Elizabeth rolled her eyes while Roxanne snatched up the papers.

"These aren't going to Jack..." Lord Beckett raised an eyebrow at Elizabeth.

"Oh really. To ensure Miss Turner's freedom, then? Or perhaps Mister Norrington's? There's only one of those, so I suggest you use it wisely." He mused as they left. "I'll still want that Compass. Consider that in your calculations."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not so sure Jack is to keen on getting eaten. Even with seasoning.

_ "These aren't going to Jack..." Lord Beckett raised an eyebrow. _

_ "Oh really. To ensure Miss Turner's freedom, then? Or perhaps Mister Norrington's? There's only one of those, so I suggest you use it wisely." He mused as they left. "I'll still want that Compass. Consider that in your calculations." _

~- Day, The Open Sea -~

Somewhere on the seam Ragetti and Pintel were in a little rowboat, accompanied by the jail dog. Ragetti, much to Pintel's annoyance, is focused on an open book, flipping through the pages, his one good eye to the small print, while Pintel is doing all of the rowing.

"Well, I say it was divine providence what escaped us from jail." Ragetti mused, and Pintel scoffed.

"And I. say... it was me bein' clever. Ain't that right, poochie?" Pintel said, and the dog let out a little bark, going to the bow, keys still in its mouth.

"Well how'dya know it?" Ragetti said, looking up. "How d’you know it weren’t divine providence what inspired you to be clever? Anyways, I’m no’ stealing no ship." Pintel rolled his eyes.

"It ain't stealin'. It's _ salvagin'! _ And since when did you care?"

"Since we're not immortal no more. We gotta take care of our immortal souls." Ragetti said, tapping the open book.

"You know you can't read."

"It's the  _ Bible _ . You get credit for trying." Ragetti grumbled.

"Pretendin' to read the Bible's a  _ lie! That's _ a mark against ya!" Pintel smirked, and the dog let out a bark, drawing their attention. "Look! There it is!" He said, looking towards the island in the distance, where the Black Pearl rested on the sand, the dog let out another bark before jumping overboard and swimming towards the shore. 

"What's got into 'im?" Ragetti asked, and Pintel smirked.

"Must've seen a catfish." Pintel laughed, and Ragetti joined in, grinning.

"Stupid mongrel!" Ragetti shouted at the dog, who was already on the beach. The dog barked at them as a large wave started rising from the ocean. The pair let out a shriek as the wave overturned the boat, capsizing it, and forcing them to swim to shore. 

As they clamber onto the shore Pintel laughed as they scrambled towards the Black Pearl.

“It's ours for the taking!” He cheered, and Ragetti looked out to sea eagerly.

“Tide's comin', that should help.” He said, and Pintel gave him a strange look. “Well, salvagin' is saving, in a manner of speaking.”

“There’s the truth of  _ it! _ ” Pintel cackled, and they started towards the the ropes holding the ship in place. But then a deep drumming sound reached their ears, and they stopped to look towards the mountain side, where the drumming was coming from.  

“Suppose we better save it as soon as we can. What with our souls in such a vulnerable state, and all.” Ragetti shudder, and Pintel nodded numbly.

“Amen to that.” Pintel said, crossing himself twice before they scrambled up the ropes to the Black Pearl.

\-- Day, The Throne, Cannibal Island --

Jack sat on his throne of bone and wood, listening to the sound of heavy drums and watching as the cannibal’s built him his funeral pyre. Well, to them it wasn’t a funeral pyre, but a roasting pit. And if he didn’t move fast, he would no doubt be put in said roasting pit.

When two of the native women approached the throne holding a necklace of severed human toes and fingers he had to hold back a grimace as they put it on him.

“Thank you.” He said through semi-gritted teeth as the pair walked away. He picked up one of the toes to examine it. Without a second thought, he bit off part of the nail, effectively trimming it. However, he regretted it a moment later, and hastily spat it out.

“The things I do without my impulse control…” He muttered under his breath, and went back to watching the natives build his “funeral roasting pit” while trying to get the disgusting taste out of his mouth.

\-- Day, The Cages, Cannibal Island --

Victoria glared at the cliff wall while holding the bones that made their cage, which hung above a deep chasm that they couldn’t see the bottom of.

Her head felt much lighter without her hair, though instead of neatly cut and tripped, it was now choppy and short. She was sure Roxanne would have something to say about it when they got back.

_ If  _ they got back.

Which led her to a new source of anger.  _ Captain Jack Sparrow. _

She had a few things to say about the captain, and none of them kind. She also had a few questions, like why the hell were they stuck in spherical cages made of  _ bone _ ? Where was the rest of the crew? And how in gods name were they going to get out? Turning to Gibbs, she decided to voice her questions:

“Why would he do this to us?” She asked. “If Jack is their chief.”

“Aye, the Pelegostos made Jack their chief.” Gibbs grimaced as he explained. “But he only remains chief as long as he  _ acts _ like a chief.” James, who was standing next to her nodded in agreement. He could understand that, he’d been the Captain, now Commodore, of several ships, and that was one of the first rules when you commanded a ship.

“So he had no choice. He's a captive then as much as the rest of us.” Victoria sighed, their situation now looked even more hopeless. If Roxanne were here, she would’ve come up with something by now, even if it would seem incredibly outlandish and ridiculous.

“Worse as it turns out.” James raised an eyebrow.

“How much worse can it get when you’re stuck on an island full of cannibals who’re going to eat you?” He drawled, and Gibbs rolled his eyes.

“When you’re the first to be eaten.” Gibbs replied, and the crew in the bone cage they were in grimaced. “You see, the Pelegostos believe that Jack is a _god_ -” Victoria snorted, but Gibbs ignored her. “-in human form. And they intend to do ‘im the honor of releasing him from his fleshy prison.” Victoria made a face, and Cotton reached over and grabbed Gibbs’ right hand bit it as demonstration, causing Gibbs to make a strangled sound before he yanked his hand away. “They’ll roast him and eat him.”

“Where's the rest of the crew?” James asked, and the remaining crew grimaced, but stayed silent.

“These cages we're in... weren't built 'til  _ after  _ we got here.” He shuddered, and Victoria and James quickly removed their hands from the cage bars. “The feast is about to begin. Jack's life will end... when the drums stop.” Gibbs said mournfully, and Victoria frowned.

“Well, we can't just sit here and wait then, can we?” She said, a memory coming to mind.

\-- Day, The Throne, Cannibal Island -- 

Jack frowned as the natives continued piling small sticks on his “funeral roasting pyre”, and he stood up quickly, time to put his “carefully” thought out plan into action.

“No! No no! Oi, no no!” He shouted, drawing their attention. “More wood. Big fire.  _ Big  _ fire!” He threw his arms up in a wide motion. “I am chief, want big fire! C’mon then!” He turned to the natives next to his throne, and gestured for them to come over. “Maboogey snickle snickle. Toute suite. C’mon.” They hurried from behind the throne, Jack smiled as the natives moved over to a giant log, and as quietly as possible, he ran from the throne, and towards his freedom.

Jack ran across the foot bridge as fast as he could. He’d ditched the oversized crown he’d been wearing,and he’d tossed aside the disgusting tasting toe and finger necklace. When he made it across the bridge, he ducked down between some trees and followed the path into another section of the village.

Glancing behind him occasionally as he ran through the huts, he jumped towards a cliffs edge, and almost fell over the side. He was not expecting it to be that high. He stumbled back, and started looking for something he could use to help him in his current predicament. Finally, he found something useful.

A decent sized bamboo pole. He grins, then he frowned. If he was going to do this right, and make it out alive, he would need rope. Dropping the bamboo pole, he headed inside the nearest hut, and cringed from the horrid smell that greeted his nose.

Deciding to ignore the buzzing flies, he searched the messy hut, pushing aside the weapons hanging from the ceiling, and ignoring the various shiny objects that, if not for his current situation, he would have gladly taken with him. After a moment, he finally spotted a coil of rope. 

As he started to exit the hut, something unusual caught his eye, and he paused to look back inside the hut. Picking up one of the tin cans he spotted, he looked at the label, curious as to why the natives would have paprika from… 

When he looked at the bottom, his heart skipped a beat. Not from anything joyous, but from memories that were best forgotten. 

Making the executive decision to take the paprika tin with him, he exited the hut, he was greeted by the not necessarily welcome sight of the entire tribe standing silently in front of the hut he’d just come from.

“Oh bugger.” He swore, and thinking quickly, he dropped the coil of rope from his shoulder, and with a flourish, he uncapped the parika and sprinkled it on his armpits, the strong scent almost making him sneeze.

“Little seasoning, eh?”

\-- Time Skip --

Jack, after being tied to the bamboo pole, was brought back to the throne area, where the “funeral roasting pyre” was now complete. The natives carrying him hoisted him above the unlit pyre, and hung him face down over the pile of wood. Around him, Jack noticed, were the rest of the cannibals were dancing wildly, the beat of the drums more rapid than it had been before.

“Well done.” He said with a grimace

\-- Day, The Cages, Cannibal Island --

Victoria let out a noise as they swung back towards the cliff, their hands desperately reaching for the vines that hung just out of reach. Victoria could feel her frustration welling up as they swung back and away from the cliff side. This went on for a few more swings, each time they let out cries of frustration and anger.

“Put your backs into it boys!” James shouted, Victoria wasn’t sure how that was supposed to help them, but it seemed to have a positive affect as they had finally managed to latch onto the vines hanging from the cliff.

“Put your legs through, start to climb!” Gibbs shouted as they started pulling themselves up the cliff wall.

“Come on men! It'll take all all of us to crew the Black Pearl!” Victoria shouted, hauling herself up as much as possible.

“Actually, you won't need everyone. 'Bout six would do!” Leech shouted from the other cage, and both halves of the crew paused, momentarily sharing a tense look. “Ohhh... dear.” Victoria and James turned to Gibbs, who nodded, and Victoria started climbing again, a new sense of desperation in her bones.

“Hurry!” James shouted, and each cage started racing against the other in a desperate move to get to the top of the cliff first.

“Come on! Go! Go! Go!” Victoria shouted, trying to urge her cage squad to go faster. “Come on! Give it all you got!” James cast a look up towards the sky, and his heart nearly stopped as he saw a cannibal starting to cross the bridge.

Hey! Hey!” He hissed, swatting at Victoria and drawing her attention. Victoria looked to his line of sight, and looked back at her cage squad.

“Stop!” She whisper hissed, while James spread the message to the other cage. “Stop! Stop!

Shhh!  _ Shhhhhh _ !” Both cages stop, and watch the bridge in silence, all holding their breath as the young native crossed the rope bridge.

“Shhh!” Leech whispered to his cage squad, and motioned for them to continue hastily climbing upwards.

“What's he doing?” 

“Stop!” James hissed, but he was ignored in favor of one of the men snickering, and instead of grabbing a vine, he grabs a venomous coral snake instead. With a yelp, the man drops the snake, causing chaos to erupt on his side, and their cage fell from the cliff wall, snapping the rope, and cage dropped to the bottom of the ravine below them, screaming the entire way.

Looking back up to the bridge, and much to their horror, they saw the young cannibal gaping down at them before sprinting off, presumably to warn the other cannibals.

“MOVE!” Victoria shouted, and the rapidly started to climb, desperation now being replaced by fear.

\-- Day, The Throne, Cannibal Island --

Jack felt resolution as he listened to the drums being beaten, one cannibal dancing around crazily, a torch in hand.

“Aii, fai fai!” He cried out, and the crowd cheered in response. The torch wielding native started lowering the flaming piece of wood to light Jack’s “funeral roasting pyre” in order to light the fire under Jack, but then a young native burst into the throne area.

“La esta so! la pelesa so! Eva kaka seisei.” He shouted, and the crowd stood their silently, not sure if they should stay or chase the escapees. Jack, being who he was, chose to seize the opportunity given to him so graciously.

“Well, go on! Go get them! Hay ala!” He ordered, and the crowd cheered.

“Hay ala!” And the natives ran off to chase after the escaping crew. In their rapid descent into chaos, the torch wielding native, dropped said torch, which rolled towards the pile of wood under Jack.

“No! No no! Oy! No no!” Jack called, trying to catch their attention, though it was a futile attempt. Looking back down, he feels a sense of dread as the edge of the wood begins to catch fire.

“Not good.” Jack said, and he started blowing on the embers, but the kindling lit anyway, ignoring his futile attempts to blow them out.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escape from Cannibal Island

_ “No! No no! Oy! No no!” Jack called, trying to catch their attention, though it was a futile attempt. Looking back down, he feels a sense of dread as the edge of the wood begins to catch fire. _

_ “Not good.” Jack said, and he started blowing on the embers, but the kindling lit anyway, ignoring his futile attempts to blow them out. _

~-Day, The Cage, Cannibal Island -~       

Victoria panted as they finally pulled the cage to the top. But she would have time to catch her breath later, right now, they had to move.

“Cut it loose! Find a rock!” James ordered, hastily snatching a sharp rock from Marty’s hand. 

“C’mon, C’mon!” Victoria urged as James hammered the cable with a rock, and helped the crew trying to pry open the bone cage.

“Got it!” James said victoriously, having severed the cable. The screaming in the distance made the crew pause, James jumped to his feet and dropped the rock.

\-- Day, The Throne, Cannibal Island --

Jack, still on the roasting pit, is bouncing the pole on the stand, trying to get off. Finally, he managed to dislodge himself from the stand, and landed with a thud and a groan next to the fire.

“That’s going to leave a mark.” He grumbled, and he started working one breaking the rope. It was easy enough to break the rope binding his feet. Wobbling as he stood, the long bamboo pole unbalancing him. Deciding: Screw it. He started running away from the pit and towards his freedom.

\-- Day, The Cage, Cannibal Island --

“Roll the cage!” Victoria shouted, and they started pushing the cage down the hill of underbrush. As they rolled, they were tossed around the cage, and Victoria was positive someone’s face had been in her chest, but she had bigger problems, like how her head smacked painfully against one of the bone bindings.

“CLIFF!” She heard Marty, or who Victoria thought was Marty cry out. As they soared over the cliff’s edge, Victoria screamed. James screamed. And Gibbs let out a particularly unmanly scream as the fell like stones down the cliff, and onto the other side of the short ravine they’d crossed over. 

Victoria felt herself getting sick with all the bouncing and rolling inside the cage. When the cage rolled up the trunk of a palm tree, she was positive she was going to vomit. But that was stopped by the cage crashing onto the ground, and was unfortunately, left whole.

“Lift the cage! Hurry!” James ordered, and the men scrambled around, trying to gain a footing.

“Come on, men!” Gibbs barked. “Lift it like a lady's skirt!” Victoria hiked up the cage with the rest of the crew, and began running alongside the crewmen. The sound of the cannibals in the distance offering much needed motivation.

\-- Day, The Huts, Cannibal Island --

Jack sprinted across the plank bridge, the bamboo pole, which was still tied to his back, was murder on his back, but he was more focused on getting his hands free. Upon reaching the small village area he’d been in earlier he’d gotten his hands free.

Unfortunately, the pole was still on his back.

Looking around for something to cut the ropes with, his eyes landed on a native child, standing still with a knife and fork in hand. Jack scuttled over to him, and snatched the knife out of his hand, an begins furiously cutting away at the ropes. A small, almost silent grunt behind him stops him dead.

Turning, he sees the two native women staring at him. Deciding this was another “screw it” moment, a let out a battle cry and charged.

Which the pair of cannibal women easily side-stepped, and he ran pole-first into the pile of coconuts near the cliff edge. Frowning at the coconut stuck on the end of his pole, when he gets an absolutely genius idea. Turning suddenly, the coconut flung off the end of the pole aiming directly for one of the cannibal’s face.

The cannibal who’d he’d aimed for slowly lowered the dripping coconut from her face, and scowled fiercely at Jack. 

\-- Day, The Cage, Cannibal Island --

Focused more on the cannibals behind them than the terrain in front of them, the crew failed to notice the small chasm that they quickly approached.

Victoria let out a shriek as they fell into the river, the cage breaking apart upon impact. The shock of the surprisingly cool river frazzled her senses momentarily, but she managed to react fast enough and dived down to avoid the spears and arrows being thrown at them.

“This way, lads!” Gibbs shouted, and the crew followed him, taking cover under a rock ledge.

“Now what do we do?!” Marty scowled, clinging to a small ledge on the rock wall.

“We need a distraction of some kind!” Victoria said.

“That much is obvious.” James drawled, watching the cannibal’s as they continued to throw things at them. “But how do you plan on distracting them?!”

“This is what we usually have Roxanne for!” She scowled.

“Yes well Roxanne is back in Port Royal rotting in a cell with Elizabeth!” Victoria snapped back at him.

“Will both of you shut up!” Gibbs snapped, and Victoria and James both turned to glare at him, and Gibbs swallowed thickly.

Suddenly, the sound of the shouting cannibals stopped, and the crew could hear the voice of a child shouting at them.

“Manka! Ma estoto! Ma estoto!” Peeking out from the ledge, James watched in curiosity as the cannibals retreated away from the chasm.

“That’ll work.”

\-- Day, The Huts, Cannibal Island --

Jack was desperately dodging and blocking the fruit being thrown by the cannibals, when one papaya smacks him in the face, he decided he’d had enough. 

“Stop it!” Jack snapped at him, and the two women froze, and stared at him. From their point of view, he looked like a shish-ka-bob. Jack, taking advantage of the pause, decided to make a break for his freedom. And with a battle cry, and started running for the cliff, lodged the end of the pile in the ground, and vaulted over the chasm, and landing upright just on the edge.

Jack grinned victoriously, until he felt the fruit start sliding down the pole, causing him to start tilting backwards. Throwing his arms forward in a desperate pitch to try and grab onto something, he started falling back over the edge of the cliff. With high pitched scream, he fell into the chasm. 

Until the pole caught between two rocks, and the rope started unwinding, making him fall rapidly until his foot, which was still tied to the pole, went taught, and he jerked to a stop. Leaving him hanging upside down.

Above him, the two cannibal women looked down over the edge.

“A nif-nif” One mused.

“Aboogey” The other replied, and they walked off in disinterest.

Jack, who was still hanging from the rope, started reaching for the rope, when one side of the pole started slipping.

“Bugger.” And as the pole slipped loose, he let out another scream. Only this time, instead of being attached to the pole as he fell, the pole was now aimed down like a spear towards him.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp smack to his back as he fell through a wooden rope bridge. This happened about six more times as far as Jack’s back could tell, the pole, now free of fruit, was undeterred in following him down.

Finally, with a thud, he reached the ground. Surrounded by grass and foliage. It was surprisingly comfy, but he was busy with the impending doom of the bamboo pole headed his way.

As it falls, it safely impales itself directly next to his head. The fruit not far behind.

“That is definitely going to leave a mark.” He groaned, struggling to get up. Nothing felt broken, thank the powers for small mercies, but he would probably feel it later if it was.

\-- Day, The Beach, Cannibal Island --

Victoria broke through the foliage, and felt relief wash over her as she spotted the Black Pearl, Pintel, Ragetti, and… The jail dog? Victoria sprinted down the beach, skidding to a halt in front of the dog.

Victoria could hear Pintel shouting: “Pull-loose the mooring lines! The mooring lines!”, and she knew Ragetti had responded, but she was more focused on getting the dog to follow her.

Surprisingly, after a few tries, it did.

Scooping the dog up into her arms, she hurried towards the ship, the dog weighing her down greatly.

“Victoria, why in god’s name do you have a dog with you?!” James shouted.

“Nostalgia!” She snapped back, and James rolled his eyes. Well, Roxanne had really been the one to have all the memories with him, since she’d been the only one who hadn’t been intimidated by the jail and it’s prisoners.

But Roxanne would also kill her if she found out that Victoria had left the dog on an island full of cannibals.

“Make ready to sail, boys!” Gibbs shouted, and Victoria jogged up to him, still holding the dog.

“What about Jack? We can’t leave without him.” James said.

“OI!” All their attention turned to Jack, who’d rounded the rock face, and was running towards them. Victoria feels relief wash over her. Only for that to be ruined by the appearance of cannibals chasing after him.

“Time to go.” Victoria said, and Gibbs turned back to the ship.

“CAST OFF THOSE LINES!” He shouted, spurring the crew back into action. 

Jack screamed as he ran down the beach towards his departing beauty of a ship, pure panic making his legs move, and the motivation behind him provided an excellent one-track mindset. Jack jumped into the water, and swam desperately after his ship. Finally managing to grab ahold of some of the rigging, he grinned as he climbed aboard the ship.

“ _ Alas _ , my children,” Jack said, gesturing with his hand to the lamenting cannibals. “This is the day you shall always remember as the day that you almost–” He was cut off with a wave smacking his face, and absolutely drenching him front head to toe. 

“– Captain Jack Sparrow…”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Off to see the Tia, the lovely Tia Dalma! And we finally get to see our other character after ever

_“Alas, my children,” Jack said, gesturing with his hand to the lamenting cannibals. “This is the day you shall always remember as the day that you almost–” He was cut off with a wave smacking his face, and absolutely drenching him front head to toe._

_“– Captain Jack Sparrow…”_

~- Day, Deck, The Black Pearl -~

“Let's put some distance between us and this island, and head out to open sea.” Gibbs said as Jack boarded his ship. Victoria started moving towards him, a scowl on her face.

“Victoria-” She ignored James, who trailed after her.  
  
“Yes to the first, yes to the second, but only insofar as we keep to the shallows as much as possible.” Jack said as Pintel and Ragetti draped his coat on his shoulders, and Gibbs made a face at the response.  
  
“Now that seems a bit contradictory, Captain...”  
  
“I have every faith in your reconciliatory navigational skills, Master Gibbs, now where is that monkey? I want to shoot _something_.” Jack seethed. Above them, the monkey let out a screech, and dropped Ragetti's eye. Jack pulled out his pistol, ignoring Ragetti who grabbed his eye and cleaned it off before pushing it back in his eye socket.  
  
“Jack.” The mentioned caption snapped his head to look at Victoria in all her fury.  
  
“Ah… Did you do something different with your hair?” Victoria growled, and was ready to punch him when James stepped in front of her.  
  
“Elizabeth and Roxanne are in danger.” He said, and Jack forced down a frown.  
  
“Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on 'em?” Jack said, moving up the deck while keeping an eye on the monkey as it climbed along the rigging. “Maybe just lock them up somewhere. Though considering Roxy love’s a fish demon she’ll be just fine.” He said muttering the last part, and Victoria glared as she followed him.  
                          
“They _are_ locked up, in a prison, bound to hang for helping _you_!” Jack spun around to face her, amused.  
  
“There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one's mistakes. Me and Roxy had a lovely discussion about it once, so she must understand.” Victoria growled, and drew a sword from the waistband of a pirate who was fussing with the rigging, and James held back a groan as she held it to Jack’s throat.

“We need that compass of yours, Jack. We must trade it for their freedom.” Jack narrowed his eyes at her, weighing his options. With a short sigh, he pushed the sword aside.  
  
“Mister Gibbs?”   
  
“Cap'n.” Gibbs responded from the wheel.

“We have a need to travel upriver.” Jack said, moving towards him.  
  
“By need, d’you mean a trifling need, fleeting, as in, say, a passing fancy?”  
  
“No, a... resolute and unyielding need.” At the response, Gibbs grimaced.  
  
“What we need to do is make sail for Port Royal with all haste.” Victoria snapped.  
  
“Victoria, _Commodore_ …” He said, moving to the rail. “I shall trade you the Compass, if you will help me... to find _this_.” He pulled out the drawing of a key, and Victoria and James frowned.  
  
“You want us to find this?” James said, taking the drawing.

“No. _You_ want _you_ to find this. Because the finding of this, finds you incapacitorially finding and/or locating in your discovering the detecting of a way to save your dolly belle ol’ what’s her face and the darling fish demon Roxy. Savvy?”  
  
“This... is going to save Elizabeth and Roxanne?” Victoria frowned, studying the key.  
  
“How much do you know about Davy Jones?” Victoria and James, who shrugged, looked at each other.  
  
"Not much.”

“Yeah, it's gonna save Elizabeth Roxanne.”

\-- Day, Deck, Edinburgh Trader --  
  
Elizabeth held a face of concentration, ignoring the bickering sailors who were arguing over Roxanne’s wedding dress, as she lacquered the ship’s railing.

It had really been Roxanne’s idea, how she knew it would work, Elizabeth would never know. But apparently, it was supposed to help Elizabeth get to Tortuga, where Victoria and James had begun the search for Jack.

Roxanne herself had decided to swim it, taking only her slip with her, saying she would stay close but not close enough to be noticed. Elizabeth had nodded and gone along with the plan, considering it would get them away from port royal as fast as possible.  
  
The Captain, Bellamy, Elizabeth had learned, pushed his way through the crowd and stopped in front of the bickering pair.

“What's all this? If you both fancy the dress, you'll just have to share, and wear it one after the other.” Elizabeth fought back laughter while the crew made no such attempt.  
  
“It's not like that, Sir. This ship is haunted.” Bursur, one of the few friendly crewmen she’d met so far, said. Captain Bellamy raised a disbelieving eyebrow.  
  
“Is it now?” He looked towards the ship’s Quartermaster, whose name Elizabeth didn’t know yet. “N' you?”  
  
“There is a female presence amongst us here, sir. All the men, they can feel it.” The crew let out a murmur of agreement, and Elizabeth paused, waiting with baited breath.  
  
“The ghost of a lady, widowed before her marriage, I figure it. Searching for her husband, lost at sea.”   
  
“Virgin, too, likely as not.” Another crewman butted in, and Elizabeth quirked an almost smile. While she doubted many would pass up the chance to… _You know_ , with a mermaid. Elizabeth had the off putting thought that Roxanne would sooner eat someone than sleep with them.

“And that bodes ill by all accounts.” Another murmur of agreement.

“I say that we throw the dress overboard and we hope the spirit follows it.” Bursur said tugging the dress free from the Quartermaster’s hands, and Elizabeth frowned as she continued her work.

“No! That- that will just anger the spirit, Sir. What we need to do is find out what the spirit needs, and then just get it back!” The Quartermaster argued, taking back the dress, and they delved back into bickering and arguing over the dress and what to do with it.  
  
“Enough! Enough! You're a pair of superstitious goats and it's got the best of you.” Captain Bellamy scowled. “Now this appears to be no more as we have a stowaway aboard.” Elizabeth tensed, there was the logical reasoning she’d dreaded.

“A young woman, by the look of it. I want you to search the ship and find 'er. Oh, and uh... she's probably naked…” Elizabeth held back a snort as the crew enthusiastically rushed off in search of the stowaway. Elizabeth herself joined the search feeling a bit awkward as she did so.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tia Dalma knows whats up

_ “Enough! Enough! You're a pair of superstitious goats and it's got the best of you.” Captain Bellamy scowled. “Now this appears to be no more as we have a stowaway aboard.” Elizabeth tensed, there was the logical reasoning she’d dreaded.  _

_ “A young woman, by the look of it. I want you to search the ship and find 'er. Oh, and uh... she's probably naked…” Elizabeth held back a snort as the crew enthusiastically rushed off in search of the stowaway. Elizabeth herself joined the search feeling a bit awkward as she did so. _

~- Day, The Pantano River -~

  
Victoria sat in one of two longboats, looking around the swamp land in curiosity. She’d only been to a place similar to this a few times back in Port Royal, but it was on the far side of the island where few people ever went to visit. And it was a day’s walk both ways since horses hadn’t been able to get through.

The nostalgia quickly brought her back to the matter at hand. Rescuing Elizabeth and Roxanne. 

“Why is Jack afraid of the open ocean?” James asked, drawing back Victoria’s attention.  
  
“Well, if you believe such things, there's a beast does the bidding of Davy Jones.” Gibbs started, using his free hand to gesture out the story. “A fearsome creature with giant tentacles that suction your face clean off. And drag an entire ship past the crushing darkness. _The Kraken_!” Marty, who was at the bow of the long boat, looked back at the mention of the beast. Pintel and Ragetti, who were rowing, shared a terrified look with each other.  
  
“They say the stench of its breath is like…” Gibbs shuddered. “Imagine, the last thing you know on God’s green earth is the _roar_ of the Kraken and the _reeking_ odor of a thousand rotting corpses. Next to him, James swore he heard Ragetti let out a whimper. “If you believe such things of coarse.”  
  
“And the key will spare him that?” Victoria asked, and Gibbs sighed.  
  
“Now that's the very question Jack wants answered. Bad enough even to go visit… _Her_...” He grimaced, and Victoria and James shared a look.  
  
“Her?” James question.  
  
“Aye.” Gibbs said, nodding solemnly. “You’ll see soon enough.”  
  
\-- Night, Tia’s Shack, Bayou --  
  
The swamp had become much darker, and the people between the trees were nigh impossible to see now, but apparently, that didn’t deter the pirates as they continued down the river to a shack standing above the water on a giant tree, supported by thick wooden poles. 

When they reached the tiny dock at the base of the tree, Jack was the first to step off. He gave the crew a conciliatory smile in hopes of calming them.

“No worries, mates.” He smiled “Tia Dalma and I go way back. Thick as thieves. Nigh inseparable we are. Were. Have been. Before.” His smiled turned into a frown.  
  
“I'll watch your back.” Gibbs said, clasping his shoulder.  
  
“It's me front I'm worried about.” He said, and turned to go up the ladder. “Mind the boat.” He ordered to Gibbs.  
  
“Mind the boat.” Gibbs said to Victoria, following Jack up the ladder.  
  
“Mind the boat.” Victoria said, repeating the order to James.  
  
“Mind the boat.” James said, following Victoria’s lead.

“Mind the boat.” Pintel said, followed by Ragetti, to Marty, who turned to Cotton.

“Mind the boat.”

“Awk! Mind the boat!” Cotton’s parrot squawked, and flew off to join the others, leaving Cotton alone in the longboat.   
  
At the top of the steps, Jack cautiously peeked through the dirty window of Tia’s shack, before entering as carefully as possible, pushing the door open slowly as he did so. Surveying the shack, it look almost the same as it did last time he was there.

Little bottles of things hanging from the ceiling. Various trinkets and stuff strewn around the home in a seemingly discarded fashion. The pale yellow snake on the other hand was a new addition to the shack.

In the back of the room, sat Tia Dalma staring down at the crab claws placed on the table. Lifting her head up, she grinned at the sight of Jack in the doorway.

“Jack Sparrow!” She said, and Jack stepped fully inside the shack, closely followed by the crew.  
  
“Tia Dalma!” Jack smiled, dodging a bottle of… Something, as he went to go greet her.  
  
“I always know de wind was goin' blow you back to me one day.” She said in her raspy, heavily accented tone. Jack opened his mouth to say something, but Tia Dalma stepped past him in favor of approaching Victoria, who was looking at the snake curiously.  
  
“You.” Victoria turned to Tia Dalma, mildly surprised. “You have a touch of... _Destiny_ about you, Victoria Turner.”  The mentioned woman frowned, eyes narrowing.

“You know me?” Tia Dalma chuckled.

“You want to know  _ me _ .” She said, leaning closer.   
  
“There'll be no knowing here.” Jack butted in, stepping between the two. “We've come for help and we're not leaving without it.” He declared, guiding Tia Dalma back to the table. “I thought  _ I  _ knew you…”   
  
“Not so well as I had hoped.” Tia Dalma mused. “Come.” She ordered, and the other followed the pair dutifully.

“Come.” Jack ordered to Victoria, pulling out the chair next to Tia Dalma, who smiled charmingly, showing off her black and aging teeth. 

“What service may I do ya?” She mused, gently caressing a hand over Victoria’s shoulder before sparing Jack a look. “You know I demand payment.” She said, her voice taking on a different tone.

“I brought payment.” Jack smiled, and he whistled for the cage to be brought closer. Pulling off the cloth covering it, he unveiled the cage to show off Jack the Monkey inside. “Look!” Jack grinned, cocking his pistol and firing at the monkey, who chattered in fright. “An undead monkey! Top that!” He said proudly as he put the cage down.

Tia Dalma gave him an amused look as she examined the monkey before lifting the cage door, allowing Jack the Monkey to scamper off into a back room.

“No…” Gibbs said remorsefully “You've no idea how long it took us to catch that.”   
  
“The payment is fair.” Tia Dalma said, moving the cage off the table. James pulled the drawing of the key from his jacket, laying it flat on the table.  
  
“We're looking for this. And what it goes to.”

“The Compass you bartered from me.” Tia Dalma gave Jack, who was examining a feathered hat, an annoyed look. “It cannot lead you to dis?”

“Maybe... Why?” Jack said as Tia Dalma sat down, a mischievous grin forming on her face.  
  
“Ayeee... Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants!” She laughed. “Or... do know, but are loathe to claim it as your own…” She mused. “Your key go to a chest, and it is what lay inside the chest you seek, don't it?”  
  
“What _is_ inside?” Gibbs asked.  
  
“Gold! Jewels? Unclaimed properties of a valuable nature?” Pintel suggested excitedly.  
  
“Nothing... _Bad_ , I hope.” Pintel said worriedly, giving the hanging jar of eyeballs next to him a nervous look.  
  
“You know of... Davy Jones, yes?” Tia Dalma said, eyes sweeping the group before her. “A man of de sea. A great sailor, until he ran afoul of dat which vex all men.” She said, a smile still on her face as she spun the story, not noticing Jack pocketing various items from the table.  
  
“What vexes all men?” Victoria asked, and Tia Dalma gave her a coy smile.  
  
“What, indeed.”  
  
“The sea?” Gibbs asked.  
  
“Sums!” Pintel suggested.

“Dichotomy of good and evil.” Everyone turned towards Ragetti.   
  
“A  _ woman _ .” Jack corrected, and Tia Dalma smirked.

“A _woman_. He fell in love.”  
  
“No-no-no-no, I heard it was the _sea_ he fell in love with.” Gibbs interrupted, and Tia Dalma snorted.  
  
“Same story, different version and all are _true_.” She said, giving him a pointed look. “See it was a woman as changing, and harsh and untamable as the sea. He never stopped loving her.” Tia Dalma said wistfully, and James felt a nagging voice inside his head, surprisingly, it sounded like Roxanne.. 

“But the pain it caused him was too much to live with. But not enough to cause him to die.”  
  
“What... exactly did he put into the chest?” Victoria asked, and Tia Dalma grinned.  
  
“Him heart.”  
  
“Literally, or figuratively?” Ragetti asked, and Pintel snorted.  
  
“He couldn't li'erally put his heart in a chest!” He scoffed, before turning his head to look back at Tia Dalma. “...Could he?”  
  
“It was not wort' feeling what small fleeting joy life brings, and so. he carved out him heart.” She said, mimicking the motion above her own heart. “Locked it away in a chest, and hide de chest from de world. De keys, he keep wid him at all times.” She explained.  
  
“You knew this.” James growled, turning to Jack.

“I  _ did  _ not.” Jack huffed. “I didn't know where the key was. But now we do. So all that's left is to climb aboard the Flying Dutchman, grab the key, you go back to Port Royal and save your bonnie lass and Roxy love, aye!” Jack grinned, turning to leave.   
  
“Let me see your hand.” Tia Dalma ordered, standing up from her chair. Jack turned back around slowly, showing his right hand, which is untouched. Tia Dalma raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him, and Jack grimaced as he presented his left hand, allowing her to unwrap the bandage.

The black spot was boiled and blistered on his hand, and the sight of it made James shudder.   
  
“ _ The Black Spot _ !” Gibbs gasped. Gibbs, following ritual protocol obviously, quickly wiped his hands on his chest, spun around once to the left, and spits on the wooden floor. Pintel and Ragetti, not wanting to suffer any curse Gibbs feared, copied Gibbs' ritual in synchrony.   
  
“My eyesight's as good as ever, just so you know.” Jack drawled. Tia Dalma frowned as she moved to one of the back rooms, pushing aside cloth door beads as she began rummaging for something while muttering to herself. Glancing down at the table next to him, Jack quickly swiped another trinket, a gold and onyx ring.

Pausing, he examined the silver locket curiously, quickly swiping it and shoving it in a pocket before Tia Dalma came back with a large jar.

“Davy Jones cannot make port. Cannot step on land but once every ten years.” She explained. “Land is where you are safe, Jack Sparrow. And so you will carry land wid you…” She said, handing him the jar.

“Dirt…” Jack said slowly as he examined the jar. “This is a jar of dirt.”   
  
“Yes.” She looked at him expectantly.   
  
“Is the... jar of dirt going to help?” He said, and Tia Dalma raised an eyebrow.   
  
“If you don' want it, give it back.”

“No.” Jack hugged the jar closer to him, and Victoria would’ve laughed had the situation not been so serious.

“Den it helps.” She smiled, and Victoria coughed next to her, drawing Tia Dalma’s attention.  
  
“It seems... we have a need to find the Flying Dutchman.” Tia Dalma nodded, sitting down in her chair once more. Picking up the pieces of crab shell and claws, she shook them between her cupped hands and closed her eyes.  
  
“A touch... _of destiny!_ ” She said, throwing down the crab bits down on the table, where something resembling a map drawn on it.

\-- Time Skip --   


As they were leaving, Tia Dalma stopped Jack on the porch outside the shack, smirking.

“Your mind wants one ding, but it is your heart dat confuses de compass.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Jack said, and Tia Dalma raised an eyebrow.

“Let me offer some advice to you, Jack Sparrow.” She mused. “De compass points to de thing you want most in dis world… But what dat is, you must figure it out for yourself. And be warned, Jack Sparrow, love is more dangerous than any sea in the world.” Jack made a face.

“I’m not in-” She held up a hand to silence him.

“So you say… But I know dat look in your eyes.” She smirked. “You desire much from dis world, so be careful of where de arrow points.” And with that, she turned back into the shack, leaving Jack alone on the landing.

“Cap’n?” Gibbs called up, snapping Jack into motion, and he climbed down the ladder, Tia Dalma’s words heavy in his mind. “What did she say?” Gibbs asked, and Jack waved him off.

“Nothing of importance.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding the Flying Dutchman is surprisingly easier than expected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I would like to apologize for the unexpected hiatus. I've just had so much on my plate recently, that it's been hard for me to really spend time working on this. Secondly, this part for some reason, was especially hard for me to write. I don't know why, but I just couldn't find motivation to write it until I sat my ass down and wrote it.
> 
> Thank you for being patient, now onto our regularly scheduled program:

_ So you say… But I know dat look in your eyes.” She smirked. “You desire much from dis world, so be careful of where de arrow points.” And with that, she turned back into the shack, leaving Jack alone on the landing. _

_ “Cap’n?” Gibbs called up, snapping Jack into motion, and he climbed down the ladder, Tia Dalma’s words heavy in his mind. “What did she say?” Gibbs asked, and Jack waved him off. _

_ “Nothing of importance.” _

\-- Night, Main Deck, The Black Pearl --

The sea raged around them, and lightening flashed and thunder crashed. Victoria shivered as she stared at the barely visible wreck that had broken against the rocks. The rain had soaked her to the bone, and James wasn’t looking much better.

“This reminds me of the hurricane I chased you through.” He said to Jack, who stared at him incredulously

“You sailed through it!” Jack exclaimed, and James grimaced.

“Not one of my best decisions…”

“Roxanne was furious.” Victoria smirked, and Jack straightened, looking slightly pleased.  
  
“That's the Flying Dutchman?” James said, quick to change the subject. “She doesn't look like much.”  
  
“Neither do either of you. Do _not_ underestimate her.” Jack warned, and elbowed Gibbs  
  
“Must've run afoul of the reef!” Gibbs offered hastily.   
  
“So what's your plan, then?” Jack asked.  
  
“We row over, search the ship until we find your bloody key.” James supplied, and Jack nodded.  
  
“And if there are crewmen?” He asked.  
  
“We cut down anyone in our path.” Victoria said, walking down the rail towards where they would depart for the wrecked ship. Jack nodded, following behind James.  
  
“I like it. Simple, easy to remember.” Victoria started down the rope ladder, which whipped wildly in the wind.

“Your chariot awaits you, your majesties!” Ragetti cackled as they clambered into the small boat they would use to get to the wrecked ship.  
  
“Hey!” They looked back up at Jack. “If you _do_ happen to get captured, just say Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt! Might save your life!” Victoria and James shared a look.  
  
“Bon voyage!” Ragetti cackled once more before throwing them the rope that tied them to the Pearl.  
  
Jack watched as they rowed towards the ship, He knew just how many ways this could go wrong, but did he have many other choices?

“Douse the lamps.” He ordered, and his crew raced to follow his orders. But his eyes remained on Victoria and James as they headed towards toward the ship.  
  
\-- Night, Scuttled Ship --

Victoria held the lantern in one hand, and used her other one to stabilize herself on the tossing boat. Behind her, James guided the rowboat towards the wrecked ship.

When they finally got to the ship, Victoria tied the rowboat to a broken piece of the ship, and as soon as she looked around boarded, Victoria knew this was a bad idea. The dead crewman propped up behind net-like rigging told her that much. Stealing herself, Victoria continued forward.

“Ghastly…” James grimaced, and Victoria grunted in agreement, not finding the will nor stomach to speak as movement caught her eye. James crossed the deck, having spotted the wounded sailor before she did. The man was in a state of shock, pulling on a pulley desperately while muttering to himself.

“...up the…” Victoria couldn’t make out whatever he said next.

“Sailor!” James barked, using his Commodore voice as Victoria called it.  
  
“...the stench...capsized…”  
  
“Sailor!” James ordered again, only with the same effect of incoherent muttering.  
  
“...bring a…”  
  
“There's no use. You've run aground.” Victoria said, and that seemed to briefly capture the sailor’s attention.  
  
“No! Beneath us! Foul breath!”  He rasped, a loud thud and a splash behind them made them jump, and James drew his sword on instinct as he followed Victoria over to investigate.

“Hey!  _ Hey! _ ” She crouched down next to the man, and carefully flipped him over while James stood behind her, sword at the ready. As the man flopped onto his back, Victoria lurched back in shock.

“Oh my god…” James said in disgust. The man’s face, if you could even call it that, was just a puckered piece of skin, which bulges outward, and only a single eye was visible. Victoria scrambled up, feeling sick.

“What happened here.” Victoria breathed in horror, before James could reply, a ship suddenly erupted from the ocean, and Victoria felt the chill of the rain settle deeper into her bones.

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.” She shuddered. The only things drawing her away from the ship’s haunting beauty, was the sudden emergence of sea creature-like crew that  _ materialized  _ from the ship itself.

“Down on your marrow bones, and pray!” One roared at them, holding a bolas. Victoria drew her sword as the creature charged them. Victoria blocked the first attack while James quickly became engaged with another one of these monstrosities.

After finally landing a blow on him, Victoria pushed forward, stabbing him through the stomach before shoving him off to fight another.

This one was covered in red coral like structures protruding from it’s face and arms, and pretty much everywhere. Swinging her sword, Victoria realized he wasn’t as slow as the last one, and she quickly found herself pinned against the mast.

The only potentially useful things around her was a barrel full of oil and the lantern… Oil and a lantern! God was she stupid! But at least now she had a plan worthy of Roxanne. Quickly, Victoria dipped her sword in the oil, and with a few more poorly aimed slashes, she swung her sword up, and crashed it through the lantern, causing the sword to light up with a wicked flame.

With a mad grin, Victoria waved her flaming sword at the creates, taking cautious steps back until she bumped into someone, and with a quick glance behind her, she confirmed it was James. She turned her attention back to the creatures, waving her sword wildly at them.

  
“Get back! Back!” She ordered, as if they would listen to her.  She slashed at the closest one to her, a barnacle encrusted…  _ Thing _ , with a hook for a hand, and sliced his stomach open, and out spilled the slimiest looking fish Victoria had ever had the displeasure of seeing.

“Good god that looks disgusting.” James said behind her, followed by a loud thunk. Spinning around, she saw his crumpled body on the floor, and sparing a moment to look up just as a club came down across her head.

‘Why must it always be this way.’ Was her last thought before she slipped into the familiar darkness that was unconsciousness…

\-- Night, Scuttled Ship --

When Victoria awoke, it was no longer raining, and she was positioned next to a sour looking James, lined up in a row against the rail with the other prisoners, five in total, who were cowering and visibly shaking.   
  
The creatures around her looked more like a crew, now that the adrenaline in her had slowed and she could see them clearly. They were all muttering amonst themselves, as if waiting for something.

Or someone.

A thunking sound of wood against wood had Victoria turning her head to see a figure emerging from the water. He was tall, taller than there former governesses fiance, who’d been the tallest man Victoria had ever seen up until this point.

His face was partially shrouded by his captain’s hat, but she could see that pale fleshy tentacles replaced where a beard should have been. He had no nose, or eyebrows, and his eyes were small, beady, and the clearest shade of blue she’d ever seen. He looked  _ wrong _ . The way he walked, his crab claw hand, his face in general. It was all wrong, like a bastardization of what a human should look like.

Stalking up to the deck, the Hammerhead Shark crew member turned to him.

“Five men still alive. The rest have moved on.” He reported, and her heart almost stopped. 

So  _ this  _ was Davy Jones…

With a grunt, Davy Jones moved down the row of prisoners, stopping in front of a man shaking so badly, Victoria thought he was going to faint. Leaning down, Jones pulled out a pipe, and lit it, letting the smoke blow into the prisoner’s face.  
  
“Do you fear death?” He spoke in a raspy voice that sent chills down Victoria’s spine. “Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare. All your sins punished.  I can offer you... an escape.” The man stopped shaking, eyes blown wide as he stared at Jones in horrified awe.

“Don't listen to him!” A prisoner called from the other end of the row, and Victoria peeked over James’s head to get a good look at what was going on. Jones stood, and stomped over to the man, grabbing his neck with his crab claw.

“Do you not fear death?” Jones rasped out.

“I'll take my chances, Sir.” The man said in a shaking voice. Victoria could see the fear in his eyes from where she was.   
  
“To the depths.” Davy Jones ordered. With a grin, a member of Jones’s crew, this one was covered in seaweed, grabbed the man’s face, tilting his head back. Victoria ducked back down in time to avoid the sight of the man’s throat being slit. But she could still hear his gargled dying breaths before two crewmembers tossed him overboard where she heard his body hit the sea with a splash.

The crew let out a malicious laugh, and Victoria could feel James shaking next to her.

“Cold blooded!” One of the prisoners spat, and Jones stopped in front of him, a scowl on his face.   
  
“Life is cruel. Why should the afterlife be any  _ different _ ?” His tone was almost mocking as he made his way down the row. “I offer you a choice. Join my crew, and postpone the judgment.” Leaning down to one sailor in particular. “One hundred years before the mast. Will ye serve?”   
  
“I- I will, serve.” The sailor rasped out.

“Grand!” Jones rasped out, as if reveling in the sailors acceptance of his deal. Stepping forward, his attention turned on her and James, beady eyes narrowing.

“ _ Neither of you  _ are dead nor dying. What is your purpose here?” James took a deep, shaky breath before replying.

“Jack Sparrow sent us to settle his debt.” Jones pulled a face, and tilted his head, and Victoria was reminded of a very scary dog.  
  
“What is your purpose here?” He asked again.  
  
“Jack Sparrow. He sent us to settle his debt.” Victoria’s voice sounded to high for her liking.  
  
“Huh! Did he, now?” Jones sounded amused. “I'm sorely tempted to accept that offer.” He turned hi head to face the darkness, where somewhere off in the distance, Victoria knew the Black Pearl was waiting for them in the darkness. Jones dissolved into the ship, vanishing before their eyes.

\-- Night, Main Deck, The Black Pearl --

Jack watched the exchange closely through his spyglass. He’d been on edge since they’d gone aboard, and the already tense air aboard the Black Pearl had nothing to take off that edge. But when Davy Jones turned his head to face him, Jack could just feel those eyes stare into his soul...

The air grew colder around him, and Jack lowered hs spyglass, taking a cautious step back. The rest of the crew scrambled away, only to be stopped by Davy Jones’s crew who had emerged from the ship.  
  
“Oh…”   
  
“You have a debt to pay.” Davy Jones growled, and with each step forward, Jack took one back. “You've been captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years. _That_ was our agreement.”  
  
“Technically, I was only captain for two years, then I was _viciously_ mutinied upon.” He said with a strained voice.  
  
“Then you were a poor captain, but a _captain_ nonetheless!” Jones spat. “Have you not introduced yourself all these years as _Captain_ Jack Sparrow?” He mocked, stepping around Jack in a proud manor.  
  
“You have my payment and a little extra! Not one, but _two_ souls to serve you on your ship that are already over there.” Jack said.  
  
“One soul is not equal to another.” Day Jones growled.  
  
“Aha!” Jack grinned. “So we've established my proposal is sound in principle, now we're just haggling over price.” He was practically beaming.  
  
“Price?” Jones scoffed, raising a non-existent eyebrow.  
  
“Just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?” Jack said in a low, almost challenging tone. Jones gave him a thoughtful look.  
  
“One hundred souls, three days.” Jones said, voicing his challenge.  
  
“You're a diamond, mate.” Jack turned. “Send me back the pair, I'll get started right off.” The Hammerhead crewmember, Maccus, Jack recalled from their previous encounter, blocked his path, growling low.  
  
“I keep the two. A good-faith payment.” Jones said, and some of his crew cackled. “That leaves you only ninety-eight more to go!” He laughed, Jack turned, stepping towards Davy Jones.

“Have you not met James Norrington? He's noble, heroic,  _ terrific _ soprano. And Victoria Turner! Fiesty, a great swordswoman, one of the most resourceful people I’ve ever met! Both are worth at least four... maybe three and a half each.” Jack said smoothly. “And did I happen to mention... They’re both in love? Not with each other of course, but poor Jamsie, he’s due to be married.  _ Betrothed _ .” His chest burned at the mention of it as he circled around Jones, but he would worry about that later. “Dividing him from her and her from him... Would only be half as cruel as actually allowing them be joined in holy matrimony. Aye?”

“I keep them both.Ninety-eight souls.” Jones turned to Jack, a scowl on his face. “But I wonder, Sparrow, can you live with this?” Jack frowned. “Can you condemn an innocent man and woman - friends - to a lifetime of servitude, in your name while you roam free?”  
  
“Yep!” Jack smiled after thinking about it for a second. “I'm good with it. Should we seal it in blood? I mean... ink?” Jones grabbed Jack’s, and Jack jolted in surprise. His hand was _freezing_ , and the tentacles sliding up and down his arm certainly didn’t help.  
  
“Three days.” Jones warned, before jerking away his hand, and storming off this ship in a cloud of mist while his crew dissolved back into the ship.

_Three days_  
  
Jack ignored the sounds of his distressed crew, instead focusing on his now very slimy hand. To his amazement, the black spot disappears, bubbling away under his skin once again. He felt different, not necessarily a good different, but probably not a bad different.  
  
“Oh, Mr. Gibbs.” Jack said to his approaching first mate.  
  
“Aye?”  
  
“Uh, I feel sullied and unusual.” Jack grimaced.  
  
“And how do you intend to harvest these ninety-eight souls in three days?” Gibbs asked tiredly.  
  
“Fortunately, he was mum as the condition in which these souls need be.” Jack said, still studying his hand.  
  
“Ah... Tortuga!” Gibbs said, a wistful smile on his face.  


“Tortuga.” Jack grinned, wiping the slime off on Gibbs’ shirt, effectively wiping his smile away as well.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of Hats and Barfights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap you guys I'm not dead! Bet you thought you'd never see me again huh?

_“And how do you intend to harvest these ninety-eight souls in three days?” Gibbs asked tiredly._ _  
_ _  
__“Fortunately, he was mum as the condition in which these souls need be.” Jack said, still studying his hand._ _  
_ _  
__“Ah... Tortuga!” Gibbs said, a wistful smile on his face._

_“Tortuga.” Jack grinned, wiping the slime off on Gibbs’ shirt, effectively wiping his smile away as well._

\-- Night, Captain’s cabin, The Edinburgh Trader --  
  
“It's an outrage. Port tariffs, berthing fees, _wharf_ handling, and heaven help us, pilotage.” Captain Bellamy said as he threw the documents on the table with a glare. “Are we all to work for the East India Trading Company, then?” He snapped.

“I'm afraid, Sir... Tortuga is the only free port left in these waters.” The quartermaster said carefully.

“A _pirate_ port is what you mean.” He fixed the two men before him with a stern look. “Well, I'm sorry. An honest sailor is what I am. I make my living fair, and I sleep well each night, thank you.” He huffed.

Outside the cabin, with an almost ethereal glow, a white wedding dress flew by.

“S-S-Sir!” Bursur said, and Captain Bellamy raised an eyebrow.

“What is it man?” Bursur pointed out the window as the dress flew by again. All three of them rushed towards the window, watching in awe as the dress flew by for a third time.

“By Jove…” Captain Bellamy said with whispered awe, and as the dress disappeared, pulling up, they rushed out of the cabin, and onto the main deck, where they saw the dress floating about, glowing beautifully in the moonlight.   
  
Raising an empty arm, the ghost pointed towards the sea.

“She wants you to... do something.” Bursur whispered, and Captain Bellamy gave a short nod.   
  
“She's tryna give a sign.” The ghost swooshed over their heads, and over the railing, knocking over a lantern and igniting part of the deck. “Over there! Look for a sign!” Captain Bellamy ordered, and the men rushed to the side of the ship, looking over the railing and searching for a sign.   
  
Above, on the mast overhead, Elizabeth watched in mild frustration. She’d had trouble getting their attention in the first place, but she was determined not to give up in the first place.

“Look there! There it is. There's the sign!” The quartermaster shouted as he pointed into the water. Elizabeth huffed, and set down the brooms she’d been using to move the dress.

“That's seaweed. “ Bursur said, looking at the quartermaster with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“Seaweed can be a sign.” The Quartermaster huffed.   
  
“It does look like entrails.” Bursur conceded. Elizabeth rolled hers eyes at them as she moved down towards the deck silently, landing on the upright barrel with a soft thud. 

“That’d be a bad sign.” The captain chimed in, and they started arguing amongst themselves about what the seaweed meant.

“What’s that over there?” She said, drawing their attention, the Crew looked back towards where she was pointing

On the deck, spelled out in fiery letters, was ‘Tortuga’  
  
\-- Night, The Faithful Bride , Tortuga --

“And what makes you think you're worthy to crew the Black Pearl?” Gibbs said, staring at the elderly man in the front of the line.  
  
“Truth be told, I never sailed a day in me life. I figure I should get out and see the world while I'm still young.” Gibbs raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment.  
  
“You'll do. Make your mark. Next!” A man, clearly not sober enough to be thinking straight, stepped forward.

“My wife ran off with my dog. And I'm drunk for a month. And I don't give a ass rat's if I live or die.” Gibbs grinned.

“Perfect! Next!” As the drunk man signed off on the roster, another hobbled forward.

“Me have one arm, 'n' a bum leg.”

“It's the crow's nest for you.” Gibbs said, and the man hobbled over to the roster.  
  
Captain Jack Sparrow sat along the wall behind Gibbs, but still within earshot of Gibbs' table, trying to make his Compass work with a scowl becoming deeply set into his face.   
  
“I know what I want. I _know_ what I want.” He grumbled to himself, and popped open the compass once again, only to find the arrow switching directions, meaning nothing had changed and compass didn’t believe him.

Jack made a frustrated noise as he contemplated chucking the compass as far as possible.  
  
“Next!” Gibbs called out.  
  
“Ever since I was a little lad, I've always wanted to sail the seas. Forever.” The man said wistfully.  
  
“Sooner than you think. Sign the roster.”

“Thanks very much.” The man smiled, and eagerly signed his name.  
  
“How we going?” Jack asked, not looking up from his compass.

“Including those four? That gives us…” He paused. “Four!”

“Fan-Bloody-tastic.” Jack grumbled, getting up from his perch. “We’ve only got 94 souls to go! I mean how hard can that possibly be?” Jack said gesturing wildly. “Especially in a place like this.” He said, gesturing to the rest of the tavern. Unfortunately, a barmaid was passing by the moment Jack struck his hand out.

What happened next was probably the most interesting part of the night so far.

The barmaid had been carrying a tray of drinks, which Jack knocked out of her hand. The drinks, then spilled out onto a man playing cards with his friends.

The music stopped, and nobody moved as the man jerked up, knocking over his chair as he whirled around.

“What the bloody hell was that for mate?!” He shouted at one of the men behind him, and pulled back his fist before slugging the man dead in the face.

Once again, the music started, only playing louder with more joy and intensity as absolute chaos broke out.

“Time to go?” Jack said, and Gibbs nodded hastily.  
  
“Aye!”

Elizabeth stared up at the tavern, she could hear the loud music from outside. This was the third one she’d been to in hopes of finding Jack, or hell even Gibbs would do at this point. She and Roxanne had agreed to meet up by the docks at some point that night, but Elizabeth was quickly growing tired from her search for Jack Sparrow.

Opening the door, Elizabeth was not expecting the chaos she was greeted with.

A man was swinging from the chandelier, two women were full out brawling with clothing and hair being torn from the ferocity of their fighting. Something about the other stealing their man or something. Elizabeth had to duck to avoid the bottle being thrown at her.

On one of the few upright tables, there was a sword fight, and looking up, Elizabeth finally saw the one person she’d spent the night looking for.

Captain Jack Sparrow closely followed by one Joshamee Gibbs.

Elizabeth ducked another bottled, and tried making her way through the chaos, one hand gripping the hilt of her sword. Just in case.

Jack carefully made his way up the steps, grabbing the first hat he saw victoriously, studying it carefully before putting it on as he walked up the steps next to a pair of men beating each other in the face. One of their hats fell off and into his hands, which he graciously took and studied just as he did the first one, which he traded by placing it on one of the brutes heads and donning the second one.

 _This was getting ridiculous_. Elizabeth thought as she fought her way through the crowd, her sword now drawn as she was locked in combat with a drunkard smelling of goat and and of cheese.

Jack had disappeared from her line of sight, she’d last seen him by the stairs, but in this chaos it was hard to tell where he was now.

When Jack made it to the top of the stairs, he’d decided this hat was worse than the first one he’d grabbed. But he was in luck. The drunkard on the rail had a fine stitched hat with a lovely embroidery around the edge.

“Thanks, mate.” Jack grinned as he traded hats, giving the man a gentle slap on the shoulder. Unfortunately this was enough to send the drunkard falling backwards off the balcony here he sat. Jack grimaced from the loud crack of a breaking table amongst the chaos. But he moved on. As lovely as this hat was, it wasn’t right.

Taking it off with a slight huff, he halted two men carrying another man, presumablly to throw him off the balcony. Not that he could blame them really. He placed rejected hat #4 on the poor man’s head, and took a step back. Sending them off with a gesture.  
  
“Carry on then.” He smiled before walking past, ignoring the sounds of chaos around him as he made his way towards the exit.  
  
Elizabeth slammed her fist into a man’s face, thankful for the guard around her fingers. She caught sight of that insufferable man once again, and carved a path through the chaos after him. It wasn’t in her nature to be violent like this. But one does what one must when she’s trying to save her loved ones from the noose.

Diving out the door after them and into the cool night air, she jogged after them, unaware of the eyes watching her from the tavern entrance.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, we're getting somewhere!

_ Elizabeth slammed her fist into a man’s face, thankful for the guard around her fingers. She caught sight of that insufferable man once again, and carved a path through the chaos after him. It wasn’t in her nature to be violent like this. But one does what one must when she’s trying to save her loved ones from the noose. _

_ Diving out the door after them and into the cool night air, she jogged after them, unaware of the eyes watching her from the tavern entrance. _

\-- Night, The Black Pearl, Docks, Tortuga --  
  
Elizabeth slowed down her jog as they approached the Black Pearl, which was being loaded with fruits and livestock. Jack and Gibbs had also slowed down their walk, and she could hear they were talking about rum or something like that.  
  
“Captain Sparrow!” She called after him, and the pair turned, Jack gave her an easy smile.  
  
“Come to join me crew, lad? Welcome aboard.” Elizabeth made a face, he said that all to easily. Was he really that desperate for a crew?  
  
“What? No. I'm here to find the woman I love.”

“Well unfortunately for you, there are no women aboard my ship.” He said, amused by this.

“Meaning Victoria Turner, Captain Sparrow.” She said, crossing her arms, her expression clearly unamused.

“Elizabeth. Hide the rum.” Jack shoved the bottle of dirt he was holding to Gibbs, who hurried up the boarding plank.  
  
“You know, these clothes do not flatter you at all. It should be a dress or nothing. I happen to have no dress in my cabin.” Elizabeth made a face, and opened her mouth to protest, when a new voice interrupted her.

“Good thing one of us is wearing a dress then.”

Jack turned around to the new when his smile faltered. Roxanne stood in the moonlight, wearing a simple damp white dress that clung to her form, and her long curly brown hair was down past her shoulders. She looked like she was glowing as she approached the pair.

Then Roxanne smiled, and Jack swore he felt his heart stop for a moment.

“Jack! Elizabeth! I finally found you! It’s surprisingly difficult to find a ship with black sails at night.” She beamed, and Jack smiled back at her. He could deal with his heart stopping later.

“A pleasure to see you again Roxy love!”  
  
“Jack. I know Victoria and James came to find you. Where are they?” Elizabeth said, briefly drawing his attention.  
  
“Darling, I am truly unhappy to have to tell you this but... through an unfortunate and _entirely_ unforeseeable series of circumstances that have nothing whatsoever to do with me, poor Victoria and James have been press-ganged into Davy Jones' crew.”  
  
“Davy Jones?” Elizabeth said, confused.

“The captain of the Flying Dutchman.” Roxanne said through gritted teeth, Jack looked back at her and swallowed thickly. “And I did not just swim across the bloody ocean from Port Royal to this... _Dreadful_ Island, to find out my fiance and basically sister were captured by Davy bloody Jones and you somehow weren’t.”  
  
“Have I told you you looked beautiful in the moonlight.” Roxanne’s eye twitched.

“Jack, I swear that one of these days that if you aren’t already dead, I’m going to kill you with my bare hands.” Roxanne growled, and Jack smiled nervously.

“Jack. All we want is to find Victoria and James.” Elizabeth pleaded, interceding before her friend could make due on her threat.

“Are you certain? Is that what you really want most?” Jack said after a brief pause, a new idea forming in his brain.   
  
“Of course.”

“Because I would think, you'd want to find a way to  _ save  _ Victoria the most.” Roxanne crossed her arms, watching Jack with a glare.   


“And you have a way of doing that?” She asked.   
  
“Well, there is a chest…” Jack said, trailing off.

“Oh, dear.” Roxanne groaned.

“A chest of unknown size and origin.” Jack continued, and a pair of pirates carrying a large crate paused next to them.

“What contains the still-beating heart o' Davy Jones.” Pintel said, huffing slightly as he carried the chest. Ragetti mimicked the sound of a beating heart as they walked past, making Roxanne roll her eyes at the pair.

“And whoever possesses that chest possesses the leverage to command Jones to do whatever it is he or she wants, including saving brave Victoria and the Commodore from their grim fate.” Jack concluded.   


“Jack if your joking I’ll kill you where you stand.” For a woman who was shorter than him and in nothing but a white slip, she was incredibly intimidating.  
  
“How do we find it?” Elizabeth said, once again ignoring her friend.

“With this. My Compass... is unique.” He smiled.  
  
“How so? It doesn’t even point north.” Roxanne frowned.  
  
“True enough. This Compass does not point north.”  
  
“Where does it point?” Elizabeth asked with a frown.  
  
“It points to the thing you want most in this world...”  
  
“Are you telling the truth?” Roxanne said, standing next Elizabeth and eyeing the compass warily.  
  
“Every word, love. And what you both want most in this world is to find the chest of Davy Jones, is it not?” Jack gently took Elizabeth’s hand, and placed the compass in it carefully. Roxanne narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
“To save Victoria and James?” Elizabeth hesitated.  
  
“By finding the chest of Davy Jones.” He smiled, and popped open the compass quickly and grabbed Roxanne’s arm, dragging them away. “Don’t want to influence the compass love.” He explained as she glared at him.

The pair watched as Elizabeth consulted the compass for a few moment before Jack slowly walked over to look down at the face of the compass, and a grin broke out onto his face.

“Mister Gibbs!” He called out to his first mate, who was coming down the boarding plank.  
  
“Cap'n?”  
  
“We have our heading.” Jack grinned, and Roxanne came to look at the compass with a frown.  
  
“Finally!” Gibbs exclaimed, and turned to bark orders at the crew. “Cast off those lines, weigh anchor, and prow that canvas!”  
  
“Miss Swan, Roxxy.” Jack gestured to the ship with a slight bow. The two looked at each other, and Roxanne followed Elizabeth with a sigh.

“And Roxanne. Please don’t eat any of the crew.” Roxanne rolled her eyes at him as she boarded the ship.


End file.
